Goblin Champion
by Bluedragon312
Summary: Convicted of a myriad of crimes, Harry's given a Life sentence to Azkaban. But the Goblins interfere and his sentence is reduced to a Year in the Dark Roads. Now, he is Goblin Champion. What is his task? HP/DG/ Loyal Ron.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: The Dark Roads

Disclaimer: No be owning Harry Potter ( or anyone I use to reference/cameo/base/etc.)

EDIT CHAPTER: This is an edit. It adds and subtracts a few things. There's about another three hundred so words in the first chapter, plus a Disclaimer that I didn't notice I hadn't put. I also took out the subterranean Japanese guys, and changed it so that Harry's trained by the Goblins instead.

_" The Good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy." _ Sun Tzu, the Art of War.

" _A man must not live under the same sky as one who has injured his Lord or Father." _Article 51 of the Constitution of the Warrior by Tokugawa Iesayu.

" Do we, the grand jury of the Wizengamot, indict Harry James Potter on the charges of using an Unforgivable Curse on another, Reckless Endangerment, and Trespassing in Classified areas?"

Harry lifted his head, and was amazed to see an unanimous vote. All 562 votes for yes. _This is unreal! How can these fools possibly believe the lies that Fudge is spouting? _He thought venomously. He saw the faces of so many purebloods, so often ripped apart by the ideals of either Supremacists or Progressives, to be united. For them to be united would have brought a tear to Sirius Black's eye, but that tear of happiness would be shed in favor of drawn wands in anger at the cause.

Cornelius Fudge was a lame duck. He knew it. Everyone knew it. In a few weeks, he would be out of office anyway, so this was nothing more than a leap of faith to go out in a blaze of glory. Amazingly, the incumbent, Amelia Bones, was more than supportive of Fudge's last ditch attempt to screw Harry. That's when Dumbledore came in.

Dumbledore pulled a massive turnabout of opinion in the five minutes after Harry had driven off Voldemort in the DOM. For a man who had never changed his ideals in the last hundred years, this was a pretty amazing show of change. From supporting Harry utterly, claiming he was the savior of the Wizard World, to condemning him for the use of an Unforgivable that hadn't even worked. At least he wasn't being blamed for Sirius' death yet. Key being yet.

Fools are easily deceived and easily manipulated. Zealots are even easier. Given that the Wizarding World is encompassed entirely of such zealots, those who sit as spiders profit the most. Lucius Malfoy and Albus Dumbledore were two such spiders, and unfortunately for Harry, neither was on his side.

Though Malfoy was currently on his way to Azkaban for being a Death Eater, there was little doubt where a good percentage of the vote would go. Many houses, including those that were known for being neutral, often sided with Malfoy's bloc just to avoid conflict. Had Harry been raised with a Wizard family of Purebloods, like the Longbottoms, he would have known that the Malfoy bloc of power had been frustrating Dumbledore's since before the Dark Lord fell the first time.

Harry sank back in the Chair of the Defendant. He didn't have a lawyer, or any legal counsel for that matter, only his prior experience. In short, he was screwed. He hoped that the trial would be delayed long enough for him to at least try to get a message out to someone, anyone, to try and help him. Little did he know, there was one such person sitting in the Wizengamot right now.

Wallace Dandridge sat in the Wizengamot, disgusted at the scene unfolding before him. Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do to help Harry Potter, outside of trying to raise an army to destroy the Wizengamot. His close friend from school, Damien Greengrass, said he might be able to get a firm to try and help Potter, but given the bad press this was already getting, that was unlikely.

Damien muttered, " Shame Fudge was able to get Potter into this courtroom so fast. Otherwise, we might have been able to get him some quality assistance."

Wallace grimaced, " Not likely. The best we can hope for is that the Goblins got some dirt on Dumbledore and they can use it to commute Potter's sentence. Guilty or not, he's going into the joint, and he's going in for a long time."

" So, whatever happened to a fair trial? I mean, this is a little rushed, there isn't anything any of us can do."

Wallace grunted, " Yeah, except being forced to vote status quo to keep the others from jumping us. Life sucks to be a mid major family doesn't it?"

Damien laughed bitterly. Wallace's family was a Noble, but not Ancient family that didn't have the money to support the extravagant games of the other families. Damien's was the other way around. Ancient, but not noble. The Greengrasses accumulated most of their wealth via marrying off the daughters that the line was so apt at producing. It seemed that the Greengrass luck had finally run out, because Damien's wife couldn't have any more children, and he had two daughters.

Dumbledore, who had been quickly reinstated as Chief Warlock, declared, " The Trial of Harry James Potter is scheduled for a week from today! Adjourned!"

Wallace frowned heavily as he stood up. One week to see what was going to happen. Probably just a stall tactic to make Potter wallow in his own guilt until he just straight up admitted he was guilty. But Wallace had heard great things about Potter. He wouldn't give in that easily. So Wallace hoped.

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( Gringotts)

" Director Ragnok, this is disturbing news. Harry Potter to be tried for crimes against the Ministry? This could mean the loss of a very wealthy and influential family, if the Ministry tries to seize his assets."

The Vice Director, named Snare, answered, " Which they most certainly will, because everyone here knows that Lucius Malfoy controls the Minister. Either he or Dumbledore will get it. Whoever strikes first. Which means we need Martial Order from the King himself to override. Doing so will risk another war."

Ragnok, a noble looking goblin who looked almost like a short human, hissed, " The consequences are unavoidable. But this gives us the opportunity to mould Potter as WE want him. As a Champion of the Goblins…"

Griphook, the Potter Estate manager, whispered in awe, " A Champion? There hasn't been a Human Champion in over a thousand years! As you recall…."

Ragnok rolled his eyes, " Yes, yes, Salazar Slytherin didn't work out, but he is an aberration. Most Goblin Champions succeeded in making massive improvements to our state of being. As I was saying, with Potter as a Goblin Champion, the final Bastion of Hate shall be overthrown."

All the goblins in the conference hissed in displeasure. Britain was known throughout the world for its….disfavor…for nonhumans. That, of course, is being nice about it. There were over a thousand Goblins Clans scattered throughout the World, and only the twenty in Britain were scorned. The Gringotts clan was often viewed with great dishonor by the others for tolerating such downright hatred and dealing with these humans.

" Are we in accord,", a dwarf in the background muttered, catching everyone's attentions. Ragnok asked, " And what do you mean by that, Merchant King Varrac Tethras?"

"What I mean is this. If this boy Potter, is all you say he is, then why is he in this situation in the first place? Being gullible is not a trait I want in our Champion, Director Ragnok."

Griphook nodded, " I agree with the Merchant King. If Potter has been so easily manipulated into this situation, than he is not someone I would want as our Champion."

Another Dwarf, named Delmi, spoke up, " I am not so worried about how Potter got INTO this situation. I am more worried about how we are going to get him out. "

Varrac nodded, " Agreed. Dumbledore and Malfoy as manipulators isn't exactly lost upon us. Hell, if Malfoy was such a stuck up dick and supporter of the Dark Lord, then I could swear they were working together. In fact, they may have even had an 'Agree to Disagree' sort of thing going on there. Maybe more…."

Ragnok broke in, " We are not here to debate about what MIGHT be going on. What we are here for, is to debate the present and immediate future. We did some looking in, and found that both Malfoy and Dumbledore have been using Potter's family estates to fuel opposing sides of the battle."

Griphook grimaced before beginning the official report on his predecessor, " Manager Ironhide was found to be taking bribes from both sides in exchange for limitless access to the Potter Estates. Given the nature of their crimes, the gold has been through so many phantom networks, most of it isn't even in Gringotts anymore, that we can't recover it. Potter has gone from king of men to pauper based on the actions of two men working for opposing sides of the same fight. Luckily, Lord Black named Potter as the primary beneficiary of the Black Will, so Potter will have some money left. "

Both Goblin and Dwarf hissed in anger at the report. The Merchant King shouted, " We should have these men's heads for this! Crimes of this nature warrant an immediate execution based on the Goblin Human Treaty of 1360!"

Ragnok yelled back, " You think I am not aware of this? This is my bank after all, Varrac! Don't insult my intelligence!"

Varrac jeered, " Then perhaps you need to pay more attention to what's going on in this bank of yours."

Both rulers felt their hands go to their weapons, but a swift intervention by several on either side prevented a confrontation from erupting. Varrac muttered some curses in Dwarven as he sat down, with Ragnok doing the same in High Goblin. Griphook muttered, " Now that we have settled our differences, we can get back to the matter at hand. What are we going to do to get Potter, preferably away from, Azkaban? If he ends up there, then he will likely be worthless to us. He's already a scrawny bug, little more than a semblance of what he should be."

Ragnok muttered, "Yes. Yes he is. Though I have only seen him from afar when I dare venture outside of the bank, he is scrawny, with obvious signs of abuse and torment. If he's sent to Azkaban, he will be ruined for any task set to him. His charges. How serious are they?"

Another goblin, the secretary of the Justice department, pulled out some papers, " Very serious by Wizard standards. Reckless endangerment, use of an Unforgivable Curse, Trespassing in a classified area, attempted murder, manslaughter."

Griphook sneered, " Extensive list there. He'll either get life in Azkaban, or he'll get the Kiss. We can't let either happen."

Varrac smirked, " Then there's only one thing we can do then. Force the Wizards to commute his sentence to us. Naturally, we have to make sure he serves some type of penalty, so a year in the Dark Roads sounds good…"

" A YEAR? Most men don't survive a DAY, much less a Year! Are you out of your mind, Varrac?"

The Dwarf had to wait for the outrage to die down before answering, " Potter isn't going to be like the others. He will not be thrown to the Darkness and tried by fire. He will be trained, and he will be given the Rite of Command. Our warriors will be more than happy to school him in the Art of War."

Ragnok smiled, " Now that is a good idea. Potter will be taught all that he needs to know to succeed as our champion. So, is this how we want it?"

The Council voted unanimously. They would try to intervene in Harry's name. Now they just needed a plan. Naturally, it was Varrac who thought of something first.

" We need to get Fudge on our side."

Griphook rolled his eyes, " Insanity! The man hates goblins more than he hates mudbloods."

Varrac sighed, " Come now, Griphook. It isn't that hard. The man hates goblins, but he LOVES gold. We simply need to make him an offer he can't refuse. One hundred million galleons."

All the goblins shouted, " WHAT?"

Varrac sighed again, " Like you don't have hundreds of times that amount here in the bank. Either way, he's out as Minister here in a few weeks anyway! Just slip a clause in about him having to stay Minister or he loses the money. Boom, you get it all back."

The goblins continued to grumble, but in the end, they agreed. Varrac chuckled, because it looked like Ragnok had just signed his soul away when he wrote the note. Varrac grabbed it, read it, and exclaimed, " Now we just need someone to deliver it. How about that new girl, Fleur Delacour?"

Ragnok perked up, " The French girl? Sure why not, she doesn't have any allegiances outside of herself, though she is spending an unusual amount of time with our top cursebreaker Bill Weasley."

Varrac smiled, " Filed away for extortion another day. Now, get that notice down to her department, and we can begin."

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(Minister's Office…Later that Day)

" Cornelius!" Dolores Umbridge's atrocious voice fluttered over his announcement speaker, " A Ms. Delacour is here to see you on Gringotts business."

Cornelius Fudge huffed in anger, " Send her in, and tell her she better hurry up! I don't have time to deal with that filth."

A few moments later, the most beautiful woman Fudge had ever seen walked in. Strangely, Fudge was completely unfazed by her Veela Aura, something that would be of great interest to her later. Fudge barked, " Alright what do you want?"

" Ze bank of Gringotts 'as sent a request of ze Minister. Zey wish for you to read it without me in ze room."

She plopped a large folder down on his desk, and left. Fudge grumbled about paperwork, until he read it. At first he was angry. He couldn't believe the Goblins would want him to override Dumbledore's and the Wizengamot's sentences on Potter! They wanted him to hand it over to them. In exchange, they were offering an inordinate amount of money as a bribe. Over a hundred million galleons! As Varrac had predicted, Fudge didn't bother to read the contract before signing his name to it.

Bidden by the Gringotts magic, Fleur came in almost immediately after he signed. She grabbed the folder, and whisked off. The goblins held a feast that night. In the process, they "accidently" destroyed a very important item in the Lestrange Vaults. That item was the Chalice of Hufflepuff. Another Horcrux lost to accident.

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( A Week Later…Harry)

The Trial came and went. Harry was surprised at the Schism that it had created amongst his friends. Hermione came right up and spilt everything, even lambasting him for his choice of curses in the fight, but Ron had praised his valor. Ron's testimony went like this.

" I don't care who died, or who almost died, or whatever. Harry fought like ten Aurors that night, and led us better than Dumbledore could have if he was in the same situation. I know he's done some amazing and outrageous things, but to take on the Dark Lord's Top Units without fear? Not even for himself? He did it because he thought Sirius had been captured. And we joined him because we didn't care what happened. We followed him into battle, because he is a leader who can inspire people to greater things than they are capable of. Unlike you Fudge, Harry is man we can believe in and fight for, no matter the opposition. No matter how bleak the situation. Whether it's Voldemort himself, or Peter Pettigrew, I would charge in to battle if Harry's leading us."

Nice as it was to know that Ron was still loyal, he didn't really do much for Harry in terms of convincing people of his innocence. If anything, it only made people believe that he was going dark more than they already did. In fact, the people supporting him seemed to be doing more damage than good.

Harry really didn't like his trial one bit. Luna had been confined to St. Mungo's Insanity Ward half way through her testimony because half the court couldn't figure out what Nargles were. Neville hadn't helped, because no one believed him at all. They could believe Ron, because Ron at least showed some common sense, but Neville's version was a tad fanciful to say the least. Even if it was what happened.

Dumbledore, though, he was the nail in the coffin. He said that he had seen Harry use an Unforgivable, and that he knew that Harry should have known better. Thus, Harry was going dark and needed to be confined. Being Mr. " I'm A God Amongst Men" Dumbledore meant that everyone immediately took his word for it. There were a few who didn't believe, but they were outnumbered significantly. In fact, the final vote was 560 to 2. The only two who had voted against Dumbledore's charges were a minor lord named Wallace Dandridge and a lord named Damien Greengrass. Harry recognized the name, so he figured that Damien must be Daphne Greengrass' father.

Dumbledore announced, " The Court has found Harry James Potter Guilty on All Accounts. He will face the Dementor's Kiss for his crimes."

" Objection."

The entire courtroom froze at the sound of Cornelius Fudge's voice. Fudge shouted, " I invoke the powers granted by Article 1a of Section 12f, paragraph 19h of the Charter of the Wizengamot!"

Those who knew what it was drew heavy breath. Dumbledore recovered momentarily, " Article 1a is being invoked by the Minister of Magic. The Minister of Magic now has the ability to relegate Mr. Potter's sentencing to an Outside Party. May only be used during Times of War, and is used when the Wizengamot is deemed to biased to render a healthy penalty. Minister Fudge, who do you relegate the sentencing?"

Fudge announced, " I relegate the Sentencing of Harry James Potter to the Goblin Clan of Gringotts!"

A battalion of armed goblins marched in, led by the Director of the bank himself. Ragnok shouted, " And we accept the sentencing of Harry James Potter!"

Narcissa Malfoy shouted, " What is this madness?" 

Lord Flint shouted, " Goblin Filth cannot be allowed a voice in matters like this! It belongs solely to the Wizengamot!"

Ragnok produced a document, " I think you will find that you are wrong. Under the Goblin Treaty of 6 B.C. E. as written by Augustus Caesar himself, a Ruling Party of a Wizarding Government may assign any task to the Goblins. This rule has been unaltered for over a thousand years."

That blasted a big hole in the Wizengamot. Ragnok declared, " Harry James Potter will serve one year in the Dark Roads for his crime. Good day to you."

With that, the goblins literally drug Harry out of the Wizengamot chambers.

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( Deep Gringotts)

Harry had never seen this part of Gringotts before. This was beneath the vaults. This was a passageway. His Vault Manager, Griphook suddenly halted him. He shouted, " Welcome, Lord Potter, to Khazad, the Goblin City. Thule is the Dwarven City that sits adjacent to us. You are seeing what no human has seen since Salazar Slytherin. And we rather regretted bringing him here."

Harry gasped in awe. The Goblin City was made of absolutely pitch black stone. It looked like it was made from the same stone that Isengard from Lord of the Rings was made from. On the other hand, Thule looked like Minas Tirith, the White City. Contrasting natures.

" Just like Dwarves and Goblins. Goblins are the warriors, and the Dwarves are the Engineers. Together, we function as one body, one organism, one being. One mind, one soul, one body. Dwarves are primarily merchants and thinkers. They are the imagination. They have weapons that would even shame the Nuclear Bomb of the Muggles. Thank the gods that they have never been unleashed on the topside."

Harry was confused, " Gods? You Goblins have a religion?"

" Yes, we follow the Norse Mythology. We just use slightly different names for some of them. Like we have Loki as _Lothis,_ which in High Goblin means Human Traitor. And no, Gobbledegook is not our actual language. It's just a cruel debasement that we use around humans to make them feel stupid."

Harry's eyes were caught by a massive Golden Aquila that was emblazoned on the walls of both Khazad and Thule. Griphook commented, " Oh yes, I forgot about that. We have Odin as King of the Gods, but the populace follow mainly what is called the Imperial Creed. A God Emperor to rule us all. We the Goblins call him _Altaris Inceptuous, _or Emperor of the Human Gods_._ But enough Goblin Culture for one day. We need to get you to the Clansmen who shall be teaching you."

Harry raised an eyebrow about the clansmen part, but figured he would find out shortly. Griphook laughed, " Ha! Lord Potter, you've been chosen for a very special role in these battles. You are a Champion. You will lead the armies of the Legion against the Dark Creatures. Let us go meet your instructors here."

Griphook gestured at some noble looking Goblins wearing ornate black armor. Griphook forced him into a bow, " Honored Silverstrike, this is Lord Potter."

The head goblin smirked, " Ah, this is Lord Potter then. He's a scrawny sewer rat, like most good for nothing wizards, but he'll be a real man after we're through with him."

Griphook looked Harry, " These are your combat instructors and your Goblin Masters for your time here. You are honor bound to follow their commands unless they tell you otherwise. At least, until after you finish your training."

Silverstrike sneered, " Which will be in the equivalent of five years up top, is only six months down here. Remember that. Magic is so potent, that it slows the perception of time. That's also the reason we don't allow Magic users to use their magic down here. Could have potentially deadly ramifications, plus that's how the Dark Creatures are created. "

Harry nodded grimly, " I understand, Honored Silverstrike. It is an honor to be trained by you."

Silverstrike looked at his companions, " I like this guy. Keep ya head up kid, and you'll do fine. Unlike the other trash we get every day, you've got some real talent to ya ass. It pleased us to hear you've killed a Basilisk, fought a dragon, and driven off Dementors. If nothing, you've got courage. And Courage is Honor. Honor is everything to Goblins. I heard you've got some real scars to show for them."

Harry figured the Goblin was asking to see them, so he promptly removed his shirt, and the Goblin Commander whistled, " You sure you haven't been down here before, Lord Potter?"

"Naw why?"

The goblin took a good look at all the scars Harry had from fighting and child abuse, " Because I know some Goblins who would kill to have scars like some of these. How'd you get that one under the armpit?"

" My uncle decided to hit me with spiked bat that time. Luckily, I didn't get hurt too bad. Most of these scars, aren't really that important anyway."

Silverstrike laughed, " First things first. We got to get rid of that no confidence pussy personality of yours. It'll get you killed down here."

" And just how do you plan on doing that?"

Silver continued to chuckle, " When you kill to live, your personality tends to change."

" I guess it does."

Silver shouted, " Come now, Lord Potter. Let us get your equipment. You've used a longsword before, so using it and a shield shouldn't be too much of a problem for you. Well, once we build some muscle on you. You going to be liftin', a lot. You know, pullin' boulders, helping move the iron, etc. Once you've bulked up enough, we'll go get the equipment. It'll take a few months, but with our workout program, you're gonna like the way you look."

Harry chuckled at the Goblin Commander's last lines. God did he end up regretting that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1 Feels Like the First time

Three months later ( Topside time), and Harry was panting as he finished pulling some of the boulders around for Silverstrike. That mother fucker was goddamn slave driver if there ever was one! Silverstrike laughed from atop his podium overlooking the blockades, " Well done Potter! I think you might just be ready for that equipment now!"

Harry muttered, " Damn straight I am. Hell, I feel like Dudley, just with muscle."

He wasn't lying either. In the three months Topside time, felt more like three years, he'd been basically weight training like crazy. Goblins knew how to weight train, and they made sure you got everything you could out of it. Thus, in the what felt like three years, Harry had bulked up from being the scrawny sewer rat, as Silverstrike called him, to being a man people could look up to.

If anything, Silverstrike said he could pass as Godric Gryffindor coming out of the story books. According to Silver, Gryffindor had been one of the last wizards to actually partake in real physical fitness, mostly because he doubled as a Muggle Warrior. Harry may have been a descendant of Gryffindor, but the Scots would certainly better remember one of Gryffindor's other descendants through his daughter, William Wallace. Funnily enough, it was that same side of the family that McGonagall was descendent from Gryffindor.

Silver shouted, " Alright Lord Potter. Let's go grab us some weaponry shall we? Trust me, no one ever feels safe without a weapon in their close persona."

Harry could attest to that. It felt strange walking around without his wand, he was always paying more attention to everything, expecting a Death Eater to attack him at every turn. Didn't help that Silver would sometimes commission Goblin Warriors to ambush him to test his skill with hand to hand combat now.

Silver led him to the Armory, which he was quite familiar with now. One of Silver's Muscle Builders had been blacksmithing. So Harry now knew his way around the Hammer and Anvil amongst other things. The goblin blacksmiths looked up, with the head shouting, " Hail Lord Potter! Here for your equipment?"

" Indeed, Smith Lockjaw."

The blacksmith pulled out a large crate. He said, " Everything you need is in there, Lord Potter. You've been given special made, Double Proof, plate armor and chain mail. A full set of Knight's armor for you. The helm is open faced, but you can form a visor by tapping the sides. Your sword is 36 inches, well balanced, double edged, thrice forged steel with silver suffused within. You can name the blade yourself. It's enchanted with self cleaners, self sharpeners, and you can add additional enchantments via runes at anytime. Simply request the runes you want and we shall add them. Your shield is in the Targe format. I took the liberty of adding a nice spike to the center, so you will be able to kill with Shield bashes and the such now. If you survive, bring it back to us, and we will give it anti-magic enchantments. For now, it simply has your House Symbol on it."

Harry knew that his house symbol was a large emerald P surrounded by blue lightning bolts, something surprising that the goblins had told him not long ago. He'd always thought that his family's colors were the same as Gryffindor's, but apparently, that was only a recent thing that spawned from his parents. While his family had been Light affiliated for centuries, their affection for the colors of green and blue had been around longer than that. Well, he preferred red and gold, so he would just have to change them when he got out.

" Alright Lord Potter. Get that armor on, and we'll get down to the real business."

After thirty minutes, Harry walked back out in his silver armor. The helmet was open visor, just like the Goblin smith had said, but it had dragon's wings on the side, and right over his forehead was a small ruby. His sword was basically a copy of Godric Gryffindor's, only that the hilt was made of silver, and that it was emerald encrusted. The blade of the sword had some runes that he figured he could rearrange into a name. But he didn't know runes, though Silver said that he intended for Harry to learn them err he left for the Topside.

Silver slapped Harry on the back, " Now there's a good looking man right there! Remember though, the Creatures have very sharp claws. The one's with the blades can take down armor. Use your shield well, and you be fine. Now, I wanted to give you some happy news!"

Harry frowned, " Oh, what could that possibly be?"

Silverstrike smirked, " Cheeky bastard. You coming down to the Roads with me boys. By the way, there's a few boys I need to introduce to you. Come."

Harry followed the Goblin Commander into a large tower that served as the barracks. Sitting on a crate carrying a submachine gun of the AUG variety, was a Russian looking man slugging a bottle of Vodka like water. He grunted out, " Vhat is this? New guy?"

Silver frowned, " Yeah, this is Harry Potter. He's your commander, Nikolai, so you better get used to taking his commands."

The Russian growled faintly, and turned to Harry, " My number one rule is: Stay away from my Vodka!"

Harry chuckled, but knew the man was serious as all get out. A woman with plaited black hair and wearing a short skirt walked in, " Is Nikolai bothering you two about his Vodka again, Commander Silverstrike?"

The Goblin smirked, " No he isn't, Isilde. I was only showing Lord Potter around."

She looked at Harry with a frown, " Boy-Who-Lived is our commander? We're fucked."

Harry felt anger rising, but bit his tongue in favor for, " Titles mean nothing hear, woman."

She smirked, " You might have a chance yet."

Silver cut in, " Strife amongst teammates is great and all, but you guys need to cut it out or you going to die. There's just one man left for you to meet Lord Potter. He's been very interested in you."

" Is that so? Who is he?"

Silver smirked, " You'll see."

The Goblin led him into a larger room. Harry gasped. Sitting at a desk with several strange looking skulls on it, was a giant of a man. His long, brownish blonde hair fell to the shoulders of his heavy armor. His armor bore a large golden eagle, just like that buildings around Khazad did. He looked up, " Mr. Potter, Commander Silverstrike. Good to see you. Salute."

Harry nodded, " Good evening?"

The man sat up, " Same to you . Name's Lazarus. I'm the Knight Commander I guess would be the title."

Silver explained, " He's the commander of the Human forces we keep stationed down here."

Lazarus laughed, " I'm also the guy who has to fill out all the paperwork for the hundreds who die down here every day too. Anyway, I'm a special type of wizard who can use magic without well, using magic. But that doesn't mean I don't like the front lines."

Harry raised an eyebrow, " Can you teach me?"

Lazarus looked at Harry inquisitively, " Of course, but those who passed your sentence were quite insistent that you not use magic during your fights. I can, however, let you use magic to make you better passively. Auras and the such."

Harry looked at him, " So that means I can use magic, just not stuff like Avada Kedavra, Stupefy, and Expelliarmus?"

" Exactly. You need to learn some passive magic, and maybe some triggered auras. I've been to a lot of places as an emissary of the Goblins, and I'm a lot older than I look, ignoring my scars of course, thus, I know a lot of magic and martial arts. I can teach."

Harry took a look at one of Lazarus' tomes, " You said you've been to a lot of places? What do you mean?"

Lazarus chortled, " The goblins never told you how they get so many people to come down here to fight?"

He nodded that they hadn't told him, and noticed that Silverstrike had paled slightly. Silver hastily answered, " Uh, Lord Potter. Nothing you see down here should change your opinion of us."

" That sounds like a bad attempt to CYA Commander Silverstrike."

Lazarus broke back in, " Because it is. The Goblins use special Mirrors crafted by the Dwarves to travel between Alternate and Parallel universes. Whilst there, they kidnap various warriors they think will be able to fight down here in the Dark Roads. But the Mirrors are One Way trips, so a lot of the kidnapped warriors just want to go home. Just the other day, I had to file the report on the previous commander of your squad's death. Ezra or Erza, or something like that was her name. Just hurled herself right into a giant horde because she was tired of fighting."

Harry was treated to a sight that most living beings have never seen. A nervous, embarrassed goblin. Silver was flustered under the gaze of the human commander. Harry commented, " Well, I guess that desperate times call for desperate measures. No matter how wrong they are."

Silver looked a tad relieved that Harry took it better than he thought he would. Lazarus frowned slightly, " Either way, I offer to teach you some passive magics so you don't get yourself killed down there. We've had a few wizards come through here before, and not being able to cast active spells really has a big effect on them."

" I gladly accept."

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( Light Response)

Albus was calling a meeting of his Braintrust. Sitting next to him, were Minerva McGonagall, and Alastor Moody, his top commanders. Sitting next to them, were Lupin and Kingsley Shacklebolt, respectively. The meeting was kind of docile. But everyone was a little on edge.

Dumbledore said, gravely, " My people, Harry Potter has not been taken to Azkaban."

Those who had been there weren't surprised, but people like McGonagall exclaimed, " What? I thought his guilt was beyond proof?"

" It was, but his sentence was not issued by us. It was issued by the Goblins. Harry will serve one year in the Dark Roads as part of the Legion of the Damned."

The silence was broken by Fillus Flitwick falling out of his chair, and then running out of the room crying. Minerva gapped, " What was that about?"

" The Dark Roads are a virtual death sentence to those sent to them. Apparently, excess magic from Wizards is funneled through the Earth. Underground, it coalesces and becomes these dark monsters. The Goblins have always lived in danger, thus, they are allied with their close brothers, the Dwarves."

Remus was aghast, " And you allowed this? Are you insane? Haven't you always said that Harry had to defeat Voldemort?"

"Unfortunately, it was beyond my ability to contain. Minister Fudge invoked some little known charters and handed the sentencing over to the Goblins, who seemed extremely eager to take over. I shudder at what young Harry might be going through right now."

Lupin glared, " I don't know why, considering this is all your fault anyway."

Hermione Granger bristled, " Quiet, Remus. This is not of your concern."

With a small flicker of her wrist, she placed a Silencing Charm on the werewolf, thoroughly pissing him off in the process. Dumbledore smiled at his best apprentice. Ms. Granger had been hard to convince, but once Dumbledore had gotten her to see the Light, she had proven invaluable with information that would damn Harry if he ever moved against Dumbledore. Assuming Harry lived through his ordeal that is. She also had a wealth of useful spell information that she could pull from her almost photographic memory at will.

Hermione turned to Dumbledore, " Now that that has been taken care of, would you like to continue, Albus?"

Dumbledore smiled. He may have lost Harry, but he gained someone more valuable in the long run. What was Harry anyway? A weapon? No, he was too weak for that. A public head? Nope, he hated his fame too much. Money? Not anymore. Why had he kept Harry around anyway? Just ditch the Horcrux in him by sending him on a suicide mission. Lord knows that he used to trust Dumbledore way too much anyway.

" We need to start grooming Neville Longbottom to be the Chosen one instead."

Hermione sneered in a way that reminded Dumbledore of Snape, " I know Longbottom's better with a wand that might actually do something, but he's still a borderline squib! Plus, his house is a Vassal House of House Potter. If Harry comes back and declares war on you, then Longbottom will be forced upon pain of death to fight for him against YOU."

" Well, would you like to take the duties instead? I mean, we still need a Chosen One, but you can be the brains behind the throne. Kind of like me and whatever Minister there is at the time."

Hermione smirked, " Gladly."

Dumbledore smiled, but on the inside, he was frowning. It would be bad amongst Pureblood circles if they found out a Muggleborn was doing the heavy lifting behind the downfall of the Dark Lord. Dumbledore figured he needed to step up and make sure Longbottom was a capable replacement for Potter. Of course, anyone who knew the Prophecy knew that there wasn't any doubt in who the Chosen One really was. It was only a suitable coincidence that both Harry and Neville had been born within minutes of each other.

Remus Lupin was suitably pissed right now. He stomped out of the meeting early, and fervently ignored all requests for him to wait. He threw his Order Amulet down, crushed it with his boots, and hustled out. He needed to go vent some anger. Maybe he would run across something interesting?

A/N: I'm very aware of how OOC Hermione is, but given her tendencies towards Authority Figures, I think that it's perfectly possible for her to act this way. I'm also tracking with the cliché that Hermione almost never stands up for Harry in when he ends up arrested, if anything, I'm going _**DobbyElfLord**_ ( **HP: Mercenary** and **HP: Hit Wizard** particularly) on you all and making her an antihero of sorts. It should also be obvious that she won't be paired with Ron, thought they'll stay friends, if she even survives the war( undecided on that) . She's incompatible with him to begin with, and even more so in this story.

**Dumbledore:** He's NOT the Archdemon in this story, but he isn't the Grey Warden who sacrifices himself to save the world either ( apt analogy I might say given how Dumbledore is generally portrayed on this site).


	3. Chapter 3 First Time for All

Chapter 2 First Time for All

A/N: Apologies for holding off on updating for awhile, but I've been dealing with some rough stretches of life and Writer's Block. Also, this is part of a Three Chapter Mass Update, but after this, I will be focusing more on Rune Reader than this story.

Harry laughed as he cut down another squealing creature. This was almost fun! If only it weren't for the fact that there were so many of the fucking things. He raised his shield and blocked an arrow from a creature in the distance. Silver barked, " Potter! Cover me and my boys! We're going in!"

Harry shouted back, " You got it, Silver,", and charged into a small group of advancing spawn. He bashed one with his shield, and cut the legs off another, then swept his sword into a stab behind him. Three fell, and Harry finished the other. He laughed as the hum of a gun filled the battlefield. Nikolai shouted, " You better be staying away from vodka!"

Harry chuckled as he slammed the spike of his shield through a creature, and drove it off. The monsters made a quick retreat, and Harry regrouped with Silver's forces. Silver commented, " Nice job out there Potter. Most don't last through their second battle."

Nikolai laughed, shouldering his AUG, " Vodka for everyone! Let's go find out if Isilde managed to hurt herself again?"

Harry frowned heavily. As much as he liked Isilde, she just couldn't stay healthy. Hell, in the last battle, she almost broke her ankle by tripping on one of her own arrows! He wondered about the past of that girl. Oddly, his entire team was from here, unlike Lazarus.

Isilde wouldn't tell anyone exactly where she was from, but her accent was Scandinavian, and some of her keepsakes had a white flag with a blue cross on it. That generally meant she was Finnish. The Scandinavian countries were, alongside of Germany, the only countries in Europe that didn't use a Ministry. They preferred the old King and Queen monarchy. Poland doesn't even have a Magical Government, as Harry had learned from Isilde.

Nikolai, on the other hand, was obviously an old Soviet who had been born in 1959 about a mile outside of the Vorkuta Gulag during a prisoner uprising. He grew up in conditions almost as bad as the gulag itself, and wasted no time getting out of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, doing so cost him a lot of money. In his case, a lot of money he didn't have. He'd served plenty of time in the Soviet Army, and had some battle scars to prove it. But his days as a warrior were not over, as he drunk himself such a huge bar tab that the Goblins came to collect him for the Dark Roads. He wouldn't tell anyone exactly why he drank as much as he did.

Harry mused over these interesting characteristics as he marched back into the Goblin City of Khazad. They each had their secrets, and he respected them for that. Albeit, he didn't particularly like having to tank for two people he didn't know a lot about, but he got over it. If he wanted to survive, he would just have to live with some things.

Silver was giving the mission debriefing, and to their relief, Isilde had managed a battle without getting hurt. Her sneer told Harry she didn't like her rather heavy medical report being brought up. Silver commented, " Lady Isilde, if you keep getting hurt, then we will keep adding time to your sentence! You were supposed to return to the surface FIVE Surface years ago!"

Isilde gave Silver a glare that would probably have given Snape a good run for his money. Silver simply sneered back in the goblin way. He continued with his report, " The tally goes that Harry managed 56, Isilde managed 32, and Nikolai got 123. The points will be awarded later today."

Harry laughed, " Wait so we are keeping score?"

" Indeed we are, Lord Potter,", Lazarus commented as he entered the room. He was shouldering a large glaive that hummed with energy, and tossed a small packet to Harry, " That's your points for the mission. No one gets points for the first mission. You can get some improvements with those points. You got ten thousand I believe."

Nikolai smirked, " Dat's only about a tenth of my point total!"

Harry scowled, " Yeah, well…You're using a machinegun. That doesn't count."

" You just want some of my vodka."

Harry chuckled, and now that he thought about it, he did want some vodka. Nikolai seemed to read his mind, and tossed him an ice cold bottle. He chuckled, " Take small swigs for first time yes?"

Harry nodded, seeing as to this was advice, not a challenge. Harry took a small swig, and it was a bit rough on him. Isilde chuckled as she took a bottle herself. Harry got himself back together and resumed the drinking. He found he liked the flavor, cherry he believed. Nikolai smirked, " We vill turn the boy into a drinking man!"

It was that day that Harry learned that you never challenge Nikolai to a drinking contest. He can drink you under the table, through the walls, and above heaven itself. Nikolai had a strange habit of collecting the bottle caps though.

Isilde was a terrible drunk. She slurred, could barely stand, and was even worse tempered than normal. Harry ended up having to carry her to the barracks, because Nikolai was a binge drinker. Once he started, he didn't stop for anything. Not even Hell freezing over and the sky falling could stop him. He already had a collection of about six bottles, well over what should be the lethal amount of BAC ( Blood Alcohol Content) and was working on a seventh.

Harry threw himself on his bed, and drifted to sleep. He found himself dreaming about what might be happening on the surface. Hogwarts would be in session right about now wouldn't it? He had a strange feeling that someone he knew and cared about was dying.

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( Topside)

Neville Longbottom panicked as he watched his housemate, Katie Bell, convulsing under the influence of a cursed necklace. Severus Snape, whom he'd always been somewhat afraid of, was trying his best to prevent the spread of the curse, but he was fighting a losing battle. Even with the aid of several Curse Breakers and a Medi-Witches, he was having a hard time even slowing the curse.

Neville had never been particularly close to Katie, but he knew the Former Golden Fox, now Only Fox of Gryffindor was a very popular person in her year. She had an amiable personality, and was easily the prettiest girl in Gryffindor. Not even the other Foxes, who had graduated last year, held much to her. At least, in his opinion. He knew Fred and George thought otherwise, but you would be hard pressed to find any other Gryffindor male who did. He also knew that Katie had always fancied Harry heavily and still did, even after his conviction. It was just a shame that no one ever saw fit to tell Harry this, because he never noticed. It was for the simple fact that he was a dumbass and could never tell someone's feelings for him unless you were standing shoulder to shoulder or slapping him in the face.

Neville watched Katie's friend, Leanne, howling over the winds. Neville had a sinking feeling in his stomach. A feeling he had learned was always right. It was right again. Shortly thereafter, Katie stopped convulsing, and ceased movement entirely. She still breathed, but a short time after that, she was pronounced to be catatonic, with the strong possibility of immanent brain death.

Neville watched passively, well, as passively as he could, as the Medi-Witches from St. Mungo's Apparated the golden haired chaser out of Hogsmeade. Neville could see Draco Malfoy in the background, looking torn between horror, satisfaction, and terror. Neville felt suspicion begin to rise in his mind about the blonde Prince of Slytherin. He knew that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his oft erstwhile 'friends', kept heavy track of the Blond Ponce. But it was unlikely they would ever be able to pin him for anything.

On the other hand, Neville could, if only people would believe him. He had Slytherin contacts, namely via his Herbology N.E.W.T class, which consisted of Millicent Bulstrode, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, and Paul Runcorn. He didn't like contacting them, for various reasons. Bulstrode was a bitch, about as moody as the trolls she was rumored to be descended. Davis and Runcorn both had the warning bells of being Death Eaters. Greengrass asked too many questions about Harry. He was particularly adverse to speaking with Daphne, though the other Slytherins chalked it up to her having an old crush on Harry. Neville had seen that with Ginny, and Ginny definitely didn't have a crush on Harry anymore. Some might say she had crossed the borders from crush to dislike to Snape style hate. At the same time, she was warming considerably to Neville, who she'd hardly paid any attention to outside of the Yule Ball that one time.

Neville was slowly but surely becoming aware of the fact that he was being subtly manipulated into a situation where he wouldn't have anywhere to turn to, save Dumbledore. Lest he risk losing everything, there wasn't even much he could do about it. His grandmother was one of Dumbledore's Patron Saints, and obedience was huge to the Longbottom family.

He frowned sadly as he heard that Bell was being transferred to a Muggle Hospital, where she'd be hooked up to what the Muggleborns called Life Support, even though she was a Pure Blood. Having experience with the Long Term Care Ward at St. Mungo's, he couldn't blame them if they held out hope she might one day recover. Outside of taking care of their basic needs, like food, St. Mungo's did nothing to see if they could possibly mend or heal the damage done to his parents by Lestrange.

Neville sat down heavily at the Gryffindor Table, across from Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. Seamus had only gotten worse about Harry being a madman since his conviction. Dean was a convert. Dean asked, " What happened Nev?"

Neville looked up grimly, " Katie Bell was almost killed by some dark curse. She may even be better off if she were dead. Damn it!"

Neville slammed his fist down on the table, and made resolve to absolutely get into better physical shape. If only he'd been able to run faster….

Seamus frowned, " Mate, it isn't your fault."

" Don't speak to me about it. In a way, it is."

Now Neville knew what Harry must have felt like when Cedric Diggory, and then his Godfather, had been killed right in front of him. Anger, helplessness, a great deal of emotions swirled within Neville. He saw Granger looking at him oddly. He tilted his head, noting that Dumbledore was also watching him from the Staff Table. That was strange. Neither ever paid much heed to Neville unless he blew a cauldron in Potions. He broke the gaze immediately, knowing his own Occlumency shields were not strong enough to hold off Granger, if she knew Legillimency, much less Dumbledore. He sometimes wondered if she did, because she had Dumbledore's knack of knowing things that didn't concern her.

The next day, Neville went up to the Room of Requirement where Harry had held the DA. After wanting a training room and pacing three times he spun around and opened the door. He sealed it behind him, and set to work. If he was going to be carrying Harry's Banner while he was serving his time, then he needed to be more than the pudgy fool that was better known as Snape's Little Bitch.

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( 3rd Mission in the Deep Roads)

Harry lowered his shield, and marched up to Nikolai, who was staring off at the entrance to one of the more heavily contested routes. Nikolai commented, " They had better have plenty of vodka for when we get back."

Harry laughed, watching Nikolai load his AUG. A harsh sounding voice rang out, " INSTAKILL!"

Harry didn't know why, but he shouted, " OH YEAH! Here we go!"

Isilde yipped, " Hooray! My arrows kill now!"

Then the voice shouted out again, this time with a fierce snarl first, " DOUBLE POINTS!"

Nikolai smirked, " Now this is proper Soviet Socialist Reform."

The first wave appeared, and Nikolai just laid into them with a barrage of fire. They dropped one after another, black blood spraying over the walls. Harry shouted, " Leave some for the rest of us eh?"

Lazarus walked up, looking rather majestic in his silvery grey armor that had a golden eagle spread on the breastplate. He pointed his glaive at the cave, " You boys ready?"

Harry nodded, and Lazarus smirked. He shouted, " Charge!"

Harry broke into a run, shield held up to his eyes. He and about fifty Goblins were leading the charge. Harry bared his teeth in a fierce grin as he drove his shield into the first Dark Creature he hit. He and the Goblin Vanguard, led by Lazarus, ripped through the remnants of the first force with ease. Silverstrike led his Recon team up, " Lord Lazarus, the enemy has gathered a massive force just in front of the Crystarium."

Lazarus cursed, and Harry knew this was bad. How the hell had they almost gotten to the Dwarven City of Thule? That was impossible. Unless….

Lazarus shouted, " FUCK! There must be some sort of breakdown on the other side of the defenses! Traitors! They shall be flayed alive and then burned like the heretics they are for this!"

He turned to the assembled forces, " We march now! More Goblins will gather to stop the attack, but we need to get there now!"

Harry joined into the forced march. Odd how five hundred goblins could run faster than humans on a good day, but on a bad day, there was no contest. Harry was struggling to keep up with his armor on. He followed Silver and Nikolai through the streets of Khazad, and walked through the gates.

The Crystarium was a magnificent place. It was a place where magic solidified into solid sheets of a glass like substance that the Dwarves called Eluvia. This Eluvia was the key component in the Dimensional Mirrors that the Goblins used to travel the worlds to claim warriors. It was also the big reason wizards couldn't use conventional magic in the Dark Roads. The Crystarium was highly volatile, and very vulnerable to over stimulation. If that happened, then it was a real possibility that the Goblins would be overrun, since the "Claimed" made such a large portion of the Legion Forces.

Harry's armor lit up with bluish light as he entered the Crystarium. A large force of Dwarven Sappers were already present in the Crystarium, loading massive ballistae with strange, glowing bolts. Several Dwarven archers were present on the battlements, using crossbows armed with the same bolts.

Harry asked, " So who's in command here?"

Lazarus gestured at the razor wire thin man with raven's colored hair like Harry's own, " The Cold Prince, CZ. He's the most favored human amongst Goblins."

That didn't exactly make Harry feel better, " Wait, CZ?"

Lazarus gestured towards the thin man standing atop the batteries, " Head tactician. Some of us call him the Cold Prince. His real name is Charles Zoroark. Apparently, he deliberately made himself the Public Enemy Number One of his world, and then staged his own death. The Goblins loved him for it, and managed to kidnap him before he died. They brought him back to health, and he's been here almost as long as I have. He is higher than the Human Gods could ever be in Goblin Society. The only man who may sit on the Goblin Council, and dictate their strategy in war. He holds absolute authority over all British Goblin and Dwarven Forces. He coordinated the last Goblin Rebellion."

Binns didn't teach a lot, and it was really hard to concentrate in his class. But Harry distinctly remembered the last Goblin Revolt as being coined, ' The One They Almost Won.' There had been a massive shift in Goblin tactics, and they had coincided the revolt with the advent of the American Revolution, resulting in a dearth of British forces to quell it. The same occurred in France and a multitude of other nations, but it was most successful in Britain. Hundreds of Wizards were killed in the Battle of Stonehenge alone, a battle that many historians still debate whether the Goblins had been in command or not. Apparently, they hadn't.

The black haired man shouted down, " Commander Lazarus. Get your men ready. They'll be advancing on the left flank in thirty seconds, coming at a flanking angle of thirty degrees. Archers, level your bows to fire at an angle of thirty five degrees. We don't lose."

Lazarus smirked, " Well, you heard the man Harry. Let's rock."

Harry nodded, and marched off with the Knight Commander. He followed him out onto the battlement, where some of the Dwarven Archers were bickering with each other. Lazarus separated the two, and motioned for Harry to continue to follow him. Lazarus briefed Harry while they walked.

" Alright, Lord Potter. Here's your chance to shine. We've got some of the best Claimed out here today. You might actually recognize a few. Geralt of Rivia, Roland the Gunslinger, David Soranzio, Karel, and Myself of course. You get the chance to show us otherworldly bastards that the people here can actually fight. Without magic."

Harry smirked, " Well I guess I had better get started on that then. When's the attack?"

" Can't you tell? It's already started."

Harry frowned, " I mean the real attack. This is just the vanguard. I've fought Voldemort enough times to know that it is foolish to send the full force in at once, even if that seems to be one of Lestrange's favorite tactics."

Lazarus smiled, " I think you might just live up to the expectations the Goblins have for you."

CZ shouted, " Commander Lazarus! I thought I told you to get your men moving! Don't just stand there! We can't let them get too close before the actual attack starts!"

Lazarus looked down at Harry, " Well, I guess that's that. Let's move before CZ get's pissed. More pissed than he normally is."

A/N: Next Chapter: The Cold Prince himself is introduced.

CZ: Charles Zoroark. He's going to be Dumbledore's replacement as Harry's Mentor. He has no qualms.

References:

Crystarium the name of the leveling system from Final Fantasy XIII.

Geralt of Rivia: From the Witcher ( Book and PC Games)

Roland the Gunslinger: From Stephen King's The Dark Tower Series.

Karel: Swords master from Fire Emblem ( Original American/ FE 6 I think)

David Soranzio: Imperial Guard Commissar from the Commissar's Series of stories I had originally written, but took down. A buddy of mine has reposted Commissar's Journey.

Review Responses

The smurf: Apparently you don't realize that I go through at least a week, maybe more, between updates. That isn't all spent actually writing the story you know. But hey, this is a different personification of the Goblins. Rather than be the bitchy statics they are by canon, they do at least have some personality in this story. In fact, one might say there's an interesting duality between Surface Goblins and Deep Goblins. Silverstrike, as an OC, is rather unique compared to other Goblins, and really, what Goblins don't hate humanity on the topside?


	4. Chapter 4 The Cold Prince

Chapter 3 The Cold Prince

A/N: In this chapter I introduce some of the history of probably the two biggest OCs in this story, The Cold Prince and Damien Greengrass. While they aren't the most common, the roles each plays are exceedingly important, as you will find out soon.

Alas, the battle isn't portrayed. It's really just a side note to introduce the Cold Prince.

" Left flank advance three meters at an angle of twenty degrees. Align parallel with enemy force. First rank, right flank, move forward at an angle of fifty degrees with respect to the enemy. Second rank; right flank: Sweep behind them and open fire at range. Use flaming Arrows. Walled Unit Eight: Aim Ballista at nine o'clock, and fire on my mark."

Harry listened as the man his commander, Lazarus, called CZ, rattled off strings of commands. Lazarus hissed, " We are the Central Flank, Rank Four. When CZ calls us, we move by his orders. To disobey the Cold Prince is to risk the Ire of the Goblins. Remember, to the Goblins, he's higher than even the Emperor."

Harry didn't know who this Emperor was, but based on Lazarus' expression, he must be pretty high up there. The command rang out, " First through Fourth Ranks! Central Flank: Advance forward and engage the enemy in close combat!"

Lazarus bared his teeth, and ordered Harry to follow him. Isilde and Nikolai hung back, due to their ranged capacity. A blonde girl that Harry had met slightly before the battle and quickly became friends with advanced ahead of them, a small golden baton hung at her waist and a slim sword in her hands. Harry raised his shield, and moved to the front of the central flank. Lazarus lowered his glaive with a smile, " It's nice to be back on the battle field."

Harry frowned at his commander, " Is your heart so black that you revel in slaughter?"

" What's with the philosophy, Lord Potter?"

Harry replied with another question, " Is this the drug of combat? Already I feel the effect of wanting to fight these monsters endlessly, but would I feel the same if they were human?"

" I cannot answer that for I do not know. All I know is that the entity that stands in front of me with a weapon pointed at me is my enemy. No matter who or what he used to be, or is, or intends to be, he is my enemy now. For that, he/she/it must die."

Harry smirked as he drew the sword given to him, "Well, I just guess we need to make sure those creatures die. Speaking of which, CZ said something about heavy support. What are the dwarves bringing?"

Lazarus commented, " Elemental cannons likely. Magic powered cannons that use the elements to provide long range support. They come in Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus versions."

Harry gave a sigh as the pace began to pick up. A charge was coming. Lazarus smiled, " Well, to battle it is then. Forward unto victory!"

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( The Cold Prince)

The Goblins call him the Cold Prince. He insists on being called CZ, because his name is Charles Zoroark, a name that he hated enough to kill his mother for alone. He's a tall, thin, black haired man, who's crimson red eyes betray a lethal bloodlust. Born with sword in one hand and a pen in the other, he is a natural strategist that would give normal men fits. His absolute ruthlessness to the enemy stems from his past, when all of his lovers either were killed or betrayed him. His anger is directed at those he serves, for denying him the pleasure of death. A manipulator who would make both Voldemort and Dumbledore look like naïve school children, he is also a charismatic leader who hides his own pain and suffering under a mask of indifference and battle fervor.

He surveyed the battle with his cold, uncaring eyes that unnerved even Goblin Kings. With a single sweep of his hand, his front advanced, driving the monsters into a storm of arrow fire aimed behind them. The orange glow of flames began to light up the darkness behind the monsters. It illuminated that fury of the horde, a seething host that cared not for the enemy it faced. _Good, because its enemy doesn't care about it either,_ The Cold Prince thought with his general venom, _They will fall, and we will live. Though I have long forsaken my own life, I cannot allow others to die in my name due to my fallings like before…._

A goblin archer shouted, " Lord Prince! The enemy has opened a new passage roughly a click away from the rear of Left Flank!"

" Left Flank shall assume the Shuriken formation and order it's spearmen to protect the archers,", Charles ordered from above. The order was only acknowledged by his men performing it. Shuriken was as it sounded, a star formation with the spearmen forming interlocking walls in the valleys of the formation. A little crude for a guy who prided himself on being a master tactician, but monsters that can't think don't use tactics anyway. Just another fight for survival out there. He didn't have the numbers to get fancy with them, nor to just head on blow them away. A fine line indeed. Nothing for a man who laughed during funerals and cried during weddings.

More Goblin Archers began to attack from the walls. Luckily, the lines held firmly. The main Goblin Army was on its way from Khazad, and more goblins were coming from Gringotts and other settlements as well. But until then, it was his show and his show alone. While the fight lulled for a moment, Zoroark let his mind wander to the kid that Lazarus called Lord Potter.

Charles Zoroark had a history that threatened to kill him day in and day out. He could tell that the one named Harry Potter had his own history that was a true burden upon him. Not so crushing as Zoroark's, but heavier than an ordinary man's for certain. The Cold Prince had already begun to see similarities in the two.

Potter was the heir of one of the richest and most powerful families in the Wizard World. Zoroark had been the prince of the most powerful nation in the world. But both had childhoods that caused them to denounce their heritage. Potter had been an abused child, hated by his relatives. Zoroark had been a burden his whole childhood, with his mentally crippled sister and furious hatred of his own family. While it was unfair to compare his own hatred to that of Potter's, for they were for completely different reasons, he could sympathize. Sympathy, an emotion that the Goblins could swear he had never heard of.

The battle began anew, but the monsters didn't seem to be coming with the same fury. It was one of the few times that Zoroark could let his subordinates handle the battle, something the ambitious Goblin Captains beneath him eagerly embraced. He kept his thoughts on the potential that is Harry Potter. The Goblins wanted him to be their Champion. The Cold Prince had been the only human in the room when Varric and Ragnok had fought over whether or not to do it. But he also knew that the Goblins had way too much invested in Potter now to allow him to die.

However, Potter wasn't a conformist to the typical Goblin mindset either. He was too compassionate, too willing to aid those who would show him no support in return. His history attested to this. Killing a Basilisk because a girl he had barely ever spoken too was kidnapped? Traveling time and risking yourself for a man you had only recently learned _wasn't_ trying to kill you? Showing remorse for the death of a man that you had nothing to do with? Rushing into an obvious trap with no strategy and clearly overwhelming odds? This was not the attitude of a champion. A survivor and an idiot maybe, but not a champion. That was why the Cold Prince was even showing interest in a somewhat unremarkable, somewhat skilled, but unremarkable nonetheless, warrior. Potter simple survived on the battlefield. He didn't seek his opponents like a real warrior. Then again, CZ hadn't been a warrior either when he started.

The Goblins wanted a Champion. No one from this Earth could create him. But the Cold Prince, Charles Zoroark, could. With simple revelations of his own past, and maybe some convenient deaths, he could destroy the kind teen who had been sent down. _And rewrite him into a monster! No, I can't make him become me. I will not allow him to become me. Nay, he shall become his own warrior. His own Cold Lord._ Zoroark thought with an insidious smile that actually made the Goblins standing near him nervous. As the battle began to turn into an enemy rout, the Cold Prince did something that absolutely terrified the Goblins working near him. He began to laugh.

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( Surface)

" So, Fred, mine brother, this be the seventh month of our good boy Harry's imprisonment. What you think he'll be like when he gets out?"

Fred answered his twin's question as he stacked the shelves of WWW, " I'm not really sure. All I ever get from anyone is a scowl or a terrified look. Well, except Dumbledore. He just looks disappointed."

Angelina picked up one of the Day Dream packets, causing George to comment, " Trying to get a new Day Dream for once?"

Angelina huffed sadly, " I keep getting one about Katie joining us. It rather pisses me off. Almost as much as the accident itself. I mean, what the hell was such an artifact even doing in Hogsmeade?"

George deadpanned, " They can't keep an eye on everyone."

Alicia and Angelina both glared at George, but Fred headed them off, " He's right. We're just as upset about it as you two, but we can't let that interfere with our lives. She's not dead anyway….yet."

Angelina's lips tightened into a thin line like McGonagall's sometimes did. Alicia answered, " She may as well be. Healers say she has no chance of recovery, and they can't even comprehend why her family is shipping so many galleons out to a Muggle Hospital to keep her alive."

George leveled on her, " One good thing that comes from having a Muggle obsessed dad is that we know more about Muggles than most Purebloods. We know that Healers can't do much with a damaged mind, but Muggles, somehow they can. It might take years, but there is a small chance that Katie may recover. She's just in a coma after all, and the information we've gotten is that her brain is in excellent shape. The curse wore off. It just might take time. Of course, she might also die tomorrow or never wake up, but beside the point."

Both the girls looked really depressed.

Outside, another man, Damien Greengrass, had taken interest in the conversation inside. Whilst a Lord, he wasn't above jokes and the such. His frequent shopping came as an interesting surprise to the Weasleys, and he even turned down Frequent Buyer discounts. In truth, he found it to be a welcome respite from his family.

The Greengrass family had gone from being completely unified behind him to absolute civil war. His eldest brother had declared himself a Death Eater, and had convinced two of Damien's three daughters to join as well. He didn't know for sure, but he was pretty sure it was Lindsey and Astoria. Daphne still held her unusual fascination with the truth behind Harry Potter, although that might be seen as trying to help the enemy. Damien's sister had rallied the Davis' to help him, but he knew he couldn't rely on another family for aide in a time like this. It would be tantamount to admitting he was too weak to lead them. Unlike most Noble Families, the Greengrass family chose it's head based on worth and merit.

Damien was the youngest of four sons and two daughters. He was a former Auror and Hit Wizard. He had trained beneath Alastor Moody and Moody's mentor as well. He had basically been Moody's heir until a hideous move by the bureaucrats. A sneak attack using imprisoned Death Eaters and he was accused of murder. He got off, but it cost him his position. Luckily, his father had seen this as proof of his ability, and named him heir.

Damien was currently hunting Draco Malfoy. He wasn't sure why, but he had a really bad feeling about the boy. Well, for one, Draco had an unhealthy obsession with Daphne. He didn't know, nor did he care, why. He just knew that it was bad. Secondly, he had been commissioned by the Order of the Phoenix, something he didn't even tell his own wife, whom he now suspected harbored Death Eater sympathies or was Imperiused. His family was basically a symbol of how Britain was. You never knew who was on who's side.

The Order was acting on some information that Hermione Granger, a self-servicing mudblood whore if he'd ever seen one. Given that he wasn't a purist himself, this was pretty strong coming from him. But he'd lost all faith in the wretch during that trial. Nonetheless, any information was better than nothing.

The Information he was acting on was that Draco Malfoy maybe trying to assassinate Dumbledore. The information was a brilliant deduction by the combined brainpower of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Damien didn't think that much better of the Weasley boy either, since he had a propensity for stupidity and idiocy that was offensive to mankind's evolution. Loyal and chess master aside, he could be a real idiot.

Damien took the turn down Knockturn Alley, and followed the Blonde Ponce into Borgin and Burkes. Using Potter's Invisibility Cloak, he snuck into the shop. Sure enough, the shopkeeper was talking to Malfoy about " Their Master" and a " Linked Cabinet." _Only idiots talk so openly, unless they are certain they can't be overheard. _Damien thought with a smirk, readying his wand and knife. It was at that moment that Borgin hissed, " Whoever's there should reveal themselves now."

Damien cursed, and sent a Stupefy at Malfoy. The Blonde fool didn't see it coming and dropped. He AK'd the Shopkeeper before he could react. Borgin was a foul man who needed to be killed, even though Damien knew he would take some flak for it when it was found out. Damien slung Malfoy on his shoulder, and threw the Cloak on. He pulled out at small stick of wood, and found the Cabinet the idiots had been talking about. He lit the stick up with a match, and set the cabinet aflame. He made sure the rest of the shop caught fire as well. He stalked out of the door.

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( Later)

Damien threw Malfoy down on the ground at Grimmauld Place to a shocked Order. He declared, " I have completed the mission as set before me. Payment is due now."

Dumbledore handed him a bag of Galleons, which Damien promptly checked for Leprechaun's gold. A few years as a Hit Wizard had taught him that trick. Ludo Bagman still wishes he had never tried it. Dumbledore asked, " Do you have any information?"

" That's going to be another five hundred galleons."

Molly Weasley screamed, " You lecherous fool! This is important!"

" I don't care. All I care about is my family, my well being, and their well being. No one else concerns me."

Molly huffed a " Heartless bastard,", but Dumbledore pulled out another bag of galleons. Damien spouted, " Malfoy was indeed going to lead a strike force of Death Eaters into Hogwarts via a linked cabinet that is now in the Room of Requirement. The Vanishing Cabinet was originally on the First Floor. Malfoy got the idea from Fred and George Weasley when they shoved Montague in it last year."

The Weasleys present gasped. Damien sneered. Apparently they couldn't believe that someone in their family might be, however indirectly, responsible for the activities of the Dark Side. Naïve fools, the Twins were darker than most Death Eaters, Inner Circle and Voldemort aside, but no one knew because of how they used the talents. Who would ever use the Traumata curse in a way to produce a Day Dream? No Death Eater, that's for certain, but the Traumata Curse normally was a decisively dark one commonly used for torment. Damien bowed, " Dumbledore, I take my leave. You know where my safehouse is if you wish to contact me."

That was a lie actually. Damien knew that Dumbledore sometimes sold some of his associates out in an attempt to keep Severus Snape, his spy, in a position to learn things of use. Such was the fate of Amelia Bones, who only barely survived an attack on her life this summer, not long after Potter's sentence.

Damien walked out of Grimmauld Place, and didn't even close the door. He apparated away with a low crack, and appeared in what he called the Green Den. The Greengrass family had been an order of Assassins before they became nobles in Britain. This was the old hideout. The wards went up as soon as he entered the building, an underground bunker hidden under a mansion. The mansion had no connection to the bunker, so the owners of the mansion could never enter the bunker unless he allowed them to enter. It was fitting that the Lestranges owned the mansion above, even if they never used it. If anything, the Lestranges were the opposite of the Greengrasses. An old noble family that was slowly, but steadily, losing all of its money.

Damien took a small slip of paper out of the pigeon coop. He smirked at his new target. Lindsey was about to pay for dissolving his family into chaos. Could he kill his own daughter? He didn't know. But he would make her pay. He clenched his fist in anger. She would _pay dearly_ for destroying his family. For corrupting poor Astoria. For Imperiusing Anastacia. For everything.

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( Harry)

" Lord CZ you wished to see me?"

The Cold Prince glared at the door when the dark haired Potter walked in. Harry was instantly unnerved by the Cold Prince's blood red eyes, so like Voldemort's. He motioned for Harry to sit down, which he did. Harry was surprised by CZ's first question, " Do you know why I am called CZ?"

" No,", Harry answered with uncertainty.

" It's because my real name is Charles Zoroark. I am the Cold Prince because I was once the prince of the most powerful kingdom in my world. But I gave it all up for the chance to change the world. It's because of that, I lost everything."

Harry raised an eyebrow, " Lazarus did say you weren't from our world. A Claimed?"

" Not quite. I didn't have a choice in the matter, that's for certain. I was…rescued…from the brink of death by the Goblins. Not that I wanted it. The goblins loved my…charisma…and wanted a leader who could give them victory. I became the Cold Prince of Goblins. But like so many other times in my life, my victories were destroyed by betrayals."

Harry frowned, " Sounds so very familiar."

" It should. I've already run some comparisons between myself and you. You would be very surprised at the similarities."

" Very little surprises me anymore, Charles Zoroark."

Zoroark began to smirk evilly, " Then it is time for you to hear a tale that is wrought with betrayal, filled with death, and consumed by darkness. Bear with me, and save all question for afterwards. I do not want to be interrupted."

" But why are you telling me this?"

Zoroark's smirk curled into a confident sneer, " I give you one piece of advice, Mr. Potter. Everything in the world happens for a reason. There is no such thing as a coincidence. There is no such thing as innocence. Only degrees of guilt. Some men do not reveal their true secrets easily."

Harry sighed, " So it is then. You are willing to tell me your tale, something not even my squadmates will do, but you won't tell me why?"

Zoroark nodded, " That's exactly correct."

" I guess we should start."

" Get comfortable."

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( The Cold Prince's story)

_" I've used many aliases in my life, but I think the one I used the most was Charles Argentum. Charles the Silver. Before I became the Cold Prince, I was the Silver Prince. Heir apparent to the most powerful king in the world. I had everything I could ever want. But then my bitter mother kidnapped me, sent me to a foreign land. She hid me in a dark, downtrodden, back water burg. I went from living in opulence to living in absolute filth. _

_ When I turned seventeen, I was finally working my way back up to the top. I had attended a top military academy, and graduated top of my class. The papers called me a prodigy, hailed me as the second coming of my kingdom's founder, Arthur Alesana. I was to become the greatest general in our history. Then, my father found out what my mother had done with me. He brutally killed her himself, right in front of my face, scalping her, forcing me to hear her screams. That was but the first of many times I cried in anger and fury._

_ Next, I began to fight with a resistance movement calling themselves the Scientists. Using our superior technology, we tore through the enemy. But my father pulled a trump card on me. He sent my former best friend, knowing I still had feelings for her, to the battlefield. Our battles were epic, but they began to destroy my emotions. My feelings. I vaguely remember that I used to fight for my sister, the girl I hardly knew before my mother kidnapped me, but that's all I remember from those earlier days. In the end, I became the Cold Prince._

_ Without emotions, I struck down my former friend, and killed her. With no remorse, no anything. I began to hate myself at that moment. I guess I was just being a teenager, but it may have been very real. My tears that time, were false. For I had grown to hate my former friend as much as I hated myself._

_ My father tried again, but failed. I killed him myself. I fell onto the throne of my kingdom an empty shell. I had no emotion. I had no feelings. That's when my second in command, another woman I had fallen in love with, betrayed me. Claiming to have seen that I would become a cruel tyrant who wouldn't stand up for his ideals, she attacked. For three years, the Scientists avoided me, only fighting when necessary. But in the end, I slaughtered them all. I reveled in it. It was in that moment that my eyes turned to red._

_ The final battles began when my half brother corrupted my sister. She was mentally crippled. She was easily corrupted. She fought against me with every fiber of her innocent being. But in the end, she was no match. Not even my half-brother, who I'd always looked up to, could stop me. I rampaged, killing them all. I left not one standing. I delighted in listening to my sister pleading for her life as I slowly wrenched the blade that killed her out of its sheath. I loved every single minute of it. That's when I realized there was something wrong with me. _

_ I planned it out carefully. I began a victory parade, and paraded my sister and half brother's bodies in front of me. At the end, before the monument of my great ancestor, I drew my sword, and shouted, " I, Charles Zoroark, do hear by repent of all the sins I have committed. I consign myself to you judgment!"_

_ I slammed the blade into my own heart. It slid in perfectly, and I swore I heard it speak, " And I shall drink thine blood delightfully, Charles Zoroark, for you have slain thine kin, and for that, there is no mercy."_

_ I fell forward onto the bodies of my sister and half brother. All I remember after that, was a huge commotion. I woke up several years later, with Goblins standing over me. One was telling me that it was now my duty to use my genius as a strategist. To overthrow the oppressive Human Wizards. Since that day, I've led the Goblin forces against their enemies, and have never lost. But I can't shake the fact that I am no longer human."_

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(Harry)

Harry sat looking at the man as he finished his story. Zoroark told the story in a dark monologue that screamed " I just don't fucking care!" but the tears streaming down the man's face told the truth. Either he was a great actor, or he was truly feeling some emotion. The latter was the truth. Telling his own story, something he never even told the Goblins until years later, brought forth the unwelcome emotions of despair and longing. He muttered, " I can help you become what you need to become to defeat Voldemort. I cannot allow you to become me."

Harry sat back in his chair slightly, " What do you mean?"

" My life is my mistake. The epiphany of human error. I am a broken dream. I destroyed myself. I can't let you do that."

Harry raised a skeptical eyebrow, " Are you telling me that the one called the Cold Prince may be interested in my fate? Lord knows, I'm in trouble now."

" Be quiet you fool. You don't know it, but if you continue as is, you will become nothing more than a frozen heart like myself. You don't know what it's like to have everything you ever wanted taken from you. You may be a prisoner fighting for life here, but at least there are still people waiting for you up top. I don't have that luxury. I had to kill those back home, because they didn't trust me enough. I see they were right. I wouldn't trust myself right now."

Harry narrowed his emerald eyes, " You're damn right about that. I know that background stories are an immense sign of trust among most of the Claimed, but this is not what I expected. Are you trying to say you want me to become like, your apprentice or something?"

The Cold Prince lifted his eyes, " That is indeed, what I am trying to say. It is not the healthy man who wakes up everyday wishing today was his last on earth. I am that man. The Goblins robbed me of death once before. I can't let it happen again. I want you to swear though. That you will not become the heartless bastard I am."

Harry frowned, " Very well. I swear I will not."

A flicker of a smirk appeared on the Cold Prince's face, " Good. Now, have you ever played chess before?"

Harry's frown immediately deepened, " Yes, and I am miserable at it. I have a friend who's a prodigy, but I just suck."

The Cold Prince set up his black pieces, " Good. I can see that this will be fun. For me."

Harry moved his white pawn, " Why's that?"

They continued for a little while, and then the Cold Prince moved his king forward before his queen. Harry asked, " Move your king first?"

" A king must be prepared to lead if he wishes his subjects to follow."

Harry asked again, " Where did you hear that one?"

". Heard it one time when I was in Japan, when I met another Claimed just like me. Strikingly similar I might say, with a few differences in our appearance and stories of course. We battled each other into a draw at chess. Goblins said the match was three hours long. He gave me a few sayings."

Harry was now interested, surely the Cold Prince was a one of a kind man? " Like what?"

"That kind of thing. Seems he wasn't particularly pleased with the way his life ended. The Goblins ended up sending him back with another chance, something I didn't know they could do."

Harry gasped, " They sent him back! I thought the Eluvians were one way?"

" Doesn't mean a second one can't be set up to send you back. Apparently, his sister fucked up, and he had to back to fix it. Unlike me, he was not ruthless enough to kill the sister he fought for when she turned on him. But it did drive him to the same suicide, albeit his was staged, as my own. It is ironic that we would meet."

Harry laughed, " Irony indeed. Did he win?"

" He won. He used his ultimate ability to order his sister to commit suicide and he became the Emperor of the country he hated again. Not saying he was a loved man for what he did, but even a so called demon king was better than what the people had been suffering through under his weak and manipulated sister."

Harry cast his eyes down, " That's sad. His sister that is."

The Cold Prince persona shown through again, " She was weak. Naïve and trusting, she wasn't able to stand against the cunning politics required of a ruler. Well, I shouldn't say stand, because she couldn't do that anyway, but she wasn't a capable ruler to say the least. If anything, he should have known better than to have his sister, the one he fought so hard to protect, become his successor."

Harry bit his tongue to keep himself from trying to defend the mysterious man Zoroark was speaking of, something not lost to the Cold Prince, who smirked. Apparently Harry was already beginning to absorb his ideals and the persona that the Cold Prince wanted him to take.

The Cold Prince simply commented on Harry's interested face, " Let this broken dream echo at tomorrow's end."

A/N: The Next chapter takes place on Harry's Seventeenth Birthday. I'm deliberately leaving his remaining five months of service up in the air for good reason.

**The Claimed:** If it isn't obvious by now, this is the sometimes derogatory term used by the Goblins on the people they conscript from other worlds using the Eluvians. The Claimed themselves use the term to remind them of their homes.

**Arthur Alesana: ** First name is ye olde Arthur of legends. Surname is from the band Alesana.

**" I shall drink thine blood gladly…"** Reference to the "speech" made by his sword before Turin Turambar killed himself. The reasoning behind it is that Turin killed the blade's actual owner in a fit of rage while he was being rescued. Thus, the blade retaliated. From the Silmarillion " The Lay of Nienor and Turambar" or " The Children of Hurin."


	5. Chapter 5 Topside Return

Chapter 4 Topside Return

A/N: This Chapter starts just before Harry's Seventeenth Birthday. Big Time skip here. But Harry does finally meet Daphne in this chapter.

" Lord Potter, I've come for you."

Harry turned and sent a small glare to Griphook, " Is that so? Lead me then."

The curt Goblin turned and motioned for Harry to follow him into the main tower of city of Khazad. Inside, past the chamber of mirrors, was a large conference all. In that conference hall, sat the five goblins who governed the British Clans. Ragnok, head of Gringotts, was last and least of these mighty goblins.

The one sitting at the head chair stood up, and shouted in High Goblin, " Lord Harry James Potter! In one day, your prison sentence shall be up, and you shall return topside. As you have proven very useful in your stay here, you shall be given the status of Goblin Champion, a rank equal to Goblin Prince in Goblin Society."

Harry bowed to the High Goblin King, " It is my pleasure to have served you so well, Your Highness."

The High King sneered evilly, " We are not yet finished, Lord Potter. You shall be the recipient of powerful gifts to allow you to destroy the Dark Lord Voldemort. Your armor, sword, and shield have been turned in. By personal request, you will be allowed to keep your Naginata polearm, and the Light Baton for personal reasons. But as of now, you shall be given new armor, sword and shield, along with a personal standard. Your armor will be presented in a ceremony tomorrow. As new Goblin Champion, you shall be allowed to bring one of your companions Topside with you. Who do you name?"

Harry looked at the High King, " Isilde Kottipelto shall be my companion."

Another Goblin looked at him with a curious gaze, " Are you certain, Lord Potter? Isilde Kottipelto has several more years on her sentence based off of medical reasons."

Harry nodded in deference to the questioner, " She is my choice. I would bring Nikolai, but I fear his addiction to Vodka would be rather unhealthy, given my task. Plus, unlike Isilde, Nikolai has no skill with magic. On that note, I would like to be presented with my wand as well."

The High Goblin King looked rather sorrowful, " Unfortunately, that is not possible. Your wand was in the possession of one Albus Dumbledore, who has since passed on. It is now in the possession of one Hermione Granger."

Harry narrowed his emerald eyes in contempt, " Then I shall simply have to take it back then."

A Goblin Mage in the audience stood up, " Lords! I must say that it is possible that Lord Potter's wand may not recognize him anymore after his time down here. I myself can say that his personality is far different now than when he arrived."

The High Goblin concluded, " Then it is likely a good thing we do not have his wand. Not like it was particularly powerful anyway. I've seen flecks of iron with more magic than that thing."

Harry took the insult to his Holly wand in stride, " Then, is there a quick and easy way for me to acquire another?"

The Cold Prince, the only other human present, stood up, " Not likely. We have it on good authority that Ollivander was kidnapped, or worse, a few days ago. We also have it on good authority that a known Goblin friend, Damien Greengrass, is on a crusade to find his daughter. Perhaps the two could work together?"

Ragnok frowned, " Indeed, what has happened to Daphne Greengrass?"

" We believed kidnapped, but worst case scenario is she's a Death Eater now."

Harry spoke up, " Then I will kill her if she is. The Death Eaters are a stain upon the world that must be bleached away. They must all be killed. Not one must survive. Unless they are willing to swear body and soul to Goblin Nation."

The High King laughed, " I like this guy."

Ragnok looked smug, " And you guys thought I was bluffing when I said he would be good."

Charles barked, " Alright fellows, back on topic. Unlike you five, I don't have all day. I have a war to coordinate with the ever growing population of monsters in the Dark Roads."

Harry spoke up, " I believe that the increase in Darkspawn can be linked to the escalation of the War with Voldemort Topside."

Ragnok agreed, " That's probably a good assessment of the situation. Men now die every day in this absurd conflict. We must trust you to bring Goblin Justice down upon the humans."

Harry smiled, " It will be as the Council commands, milord."

The Cold Prince declared, " Then let us bring the matter to a vote! Do we, the Council of Goblin Kings and Nobility, recognize Lord Harry James Potter as Goblin Champion, with it, all the powers and honors conveyed?"

All five Goblin Kings shouted, " Aye!"

" Do we, the Council of Goblin Kings and Nobility, authorize Champion Harry James Potter to be a representative of Goblin Kingdoms and Dwarven Kingdoms, such that an attack on his person is an attack on the Collective Nation?"

" Aye!"

Harry smiled as he was told to leave. Griphook led him out with a satisfied smirk, " Well, Champion Potter, that was very successful. I am told that very few thought you would make through your first day here, and yet here you stand. Goblin Champion. Many humans will never hear the term. How do you feel?"

" Vindicated. I've killed, and I also lost someone I had liked quite a lot to get this far, but I have triumphed. In the end, that is all that matters."

Griphook remembered the golden haired girl that Potter spoke of, and how the two had become friends slightly before the Crystarium Battle. She had died rather tragically only a few weeks before Champion Potter's sentence was up. It had affected him to say the least.

Harry commented, " Well, tomorrow's the last day Griphook. Then it's back to being Potter Fund Manager for you, rather than Potter Prisoner Oversight."

Griphook frowned, " I'll take being a banker any day. Some of your battles gave me jitters."

For a Goblin to admit that something had given him jitters was pretty big, so Harry took it as a compliment. He also decided not to comment on it. Griphook showed him to the Barracks, and let him in. He was immediately confronted by Isilde, who shouted, " Potter! What do you mean you are taking me to the Topside with you?"

Harry frowned at the dark haired woman, " In case it didn't make it to you, I'm allowed to bring one of my squad members up top with me when I leave. Since Nikolai leaves in a couple of weeks anyway, I figured you would be better than the old Vodka addict."

She narrowed her steel grey eyes at him, " All the same…"

Harry cut her off, " Listen, if you would rather not come to the surface with me, and risk another five Topside years down here, that's fine. I would just rather have a little bit of familiarity up there when I go back."

The Fin was taken aback, and sank back onto her bed. Harry commented, " On the other hand, you will receive your wand back tomorrow during my ceremony."

She looked up, wide eyed, " How did you know I was a witch?"

" Not hard. Sometimes, when you really concentrated, objects would move around you. I also recognized your magical aura after Lazarus taught me how to see them. You will tell me some of your background when we get topside though. I tolerated secrecy down here, but I must know all about my companions up top."

She nodded, and then laid down. Harry scowled as he went upstairs to his room. He opened the closet, and pulled out the set of clothes he would be wearing. He immediately decided against the royal purple cloak that Charles had given him, in favor of the fire red one that Lazarus had provided. Maybe if he tried, he could figure out how Snape made his cloak billow?

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( The Next Day)

Apparently, his ceremony was a big deal for Goblin and Dwarven Nation, as both cities sent huge parties to it. He walked down a long, harrowing hallway, with goblin guards all around him. He had no doubt he would be quaking in his boots had he been sent here a year ago. Now, he walked with his head held high and his heart steeled for battle. Large banners bearing a Golden Eagle dotted the building. Harry smiled as he approached the Goblin Council. He bowed in deference.

The High Goblin King announced, " This day we recognize a new Goblin Champion!"

The crowd roared with approval. The King held his hand up for them to silence themselves, " Now, we must pay him the proper respect. We the Goblin Council have voted to recognize Harry James Potter into the office of Goblin Champion, with all the powers and honors it conveys! All Hail Champion Potter!"

The Crowd chanted, " All Hail Champion Potter! All Hail Champion Potter!"

The High King lowered his arms to silence the crowd, " This day we shall offer tribute to the Gods above that Champion Potter shall bring us great fortune and glory! Today, we recognize him as Goblin Champion. He marches to war topside!"

" To War! To War! To War!"

The High King smiled, " Rest assured, my people. War is coming. It lusts for us, calls for us, demands our attention. But we cannot act yet! Due to these treaties that the Clan of Gringotts hath made with the foul humans, we cannot go yet! But Champion Potter is not constrained by such treaties! He shall dethrone their tyranny, and deny them their power!"

The Crowd took up the war chant again, with even greater gusto. The Goblin King shouted, " My people! We are close to claiming our rightful places in this world! So long as the Wizards oppress us, we shall continue to rebel! Now, we must give Champion Potter his gifts."

The High King handed Harry a set of black with flame highlight armor, " This is the Armor of the Sentinel. It will protect you from most heavy magic up top. It won't block Unforgivables, but it will handle most everything else. The helm, boots, and gauntlets come with it."

Harry pulled the chest plate on and slid his feet into the boots. He strapped the gauntlets on, and felt power surge in. The High King handed him a shield next. It was a kite shield, with an intimidating dragon breathing fire on it. He shouted, " This is the Shield of Dumat. Engraved with the likeness of the First Archdemon, it is enchanted to be extremely powerful against magic. It will absorb a spell, and transfer the power of that spell into your body. It can even channel a Killing Curse, but doing so will overload the shield. It can also reflect a spell, but keep in mind that there is a recharge time for the effect."

The High King handed him two daggers next. He didn't explain them, but he did pick up a long broadsword next. The High King drew the blade, and it's black blade glimmered at the edges with crimson red fire. He declared, " This is an ancient Goblin Blade called Starfang. Let it serve you well, and drink the blood of thy enemies!"

Harry took the blade, sheath, and belt that came with it, and strung it on. The Goblin King smiled, " Now, let us send you back to the surface. Farewell in all of your endeavors, Goblin Champion!"

Harry smiled as he turned and left the platform. He was led by Griphook back up to the Gringotts bank, where he was met by Isilde. The Finnish witch was cuddling her wand like a newborn child, even muttering to it. _I guess that's what happens if your down there too long,_ Harry thought with smile. He said, " Isilde, I shall proceed first. Our safe house is Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Have the Goblins give you a port key, but not before I give the signal."

She nodded. Griphook pulled a slender wand out of his own desk, " Champion Potter, I was asked to give you this wand. It is a apple wand with basilisk venom as core. It will serve you well."

Harry took it, and red sparks flew from it like his old wand. He smiled as he left the bank, breathing the warm summer's air for the first time in what seemed like ten years. He was walking towards the Leaky Cauldron when some Death Eaters appeared out of thin air. He thought, _Target practice. Perfect._

He strode off to meet them with a smile on his face. Since it was roughly midnight, there weren't many people out, and it seemed like the Death Eaters were actually tasked with attacking Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Thus, he heard a loud cackled he knew and recognized. A cackle that made his blood boil in ways that he'd forgotten could occur. " Kill them all, my Death Eaters! The Dark Lord rewards the faithful!"

Harry intercepted them right in front of the store. His hair had grown long, so it covered his scar, even though his helm obscured it. He didn't bother with glasses anymore, relying more on his magic to sense actions around him. He announced, " I cannot allow you to attack this store."

Bellatrix Lestrange unmasked herself, " Well, that isn't yours to decide not is it? But the Dark Lord likes headstrong people like you. Perhaps you should join?"

Harry sauntered close to the insane witch, muttering, " You know what? I would join, if I wouldn't be a slave. I'm not a good slave. One: I talk too much. Two: I do this,", he slid his dagger out and thrust it into the chest of the insane witch before she could react. He ripped the blade out, and threw it at the nearest Eater, sliding into the eye socket of his mask. Harry smirked as he slid his new shield out, and reflected a cutting curse back at one of his opponents. The opponent fell with a gurgling scream as her blood sprayed onto the streets. Harry looked at the woman behind the mask, and noticed her golden hair and icy blue eyes. Sounded kind of familiar.

Harry noticed that his last opponent refused to attack him and was backing up. He drew his new sword with a look of utter contempt at the cowering Death Eater. He sneered, " Don't bother running, it will only make this hurt worse."

The Death Eater tripped and fell, it's mask fell off. Harry noted that the face beneath it was strikingly similar to the one he had killed just a few moments ago. _Sisters perhaps? No matter, the Death Eaters must be removed._ Harry drew his wand and pointed it at the cowering girl. He was about to finish her when he was attacked from behind, a conjured arrow hitting his left hand. He turned with a snarl to see the Lord who had voted for him at his hearing approaching. He hissed, " Damien Greengrass. Why are you here?"

Damien glared, " Keeping you from killing my daughter, whoever you are. Daphne, come to me."

Harry hissed as the girl stood up, and ran over to the Lord. Harry frowned, " I won't take chances. By Goblin Decree, all Death Eaters must be removed. Your daughter included."

The girl spoke for the first time, " But I'm not marked! I was forced to fight! My older sister kidnapped me!"

Harry sneered, " Yeah, and I've heard that story a thousand times. I save her, she befriends me, turns me into the dark lord, I deal with torture for weeks, and then break free on a rampage. No thanks. I have enough killing to do as I prune the tree of the Wizarding World as is."

Damien frowned, " Then I hope this assures you,", and cast a diffindo curse on his daughter's left sleeve. It fell off, revealing pale, unsullied, creamy white skin. Harry narrowed his eyes once more, and cast a couple of revealing spells on the arm just in case. They all came negative, though Harry wouldn't have been surprised if his spells screwed up because he hadn't used real magic in so long.

Damien turned back to him, " Now that we have cleared that up, I must thank you for killing my eldest daughter, Lindsey. I've had a bone to pick with her for awhile now, and have been tracking her for a few months now. This is Daphne, my next eldest, and probably the only one on my side. I need your help, Champion Potter."

Harry hissed, " How do you know?"

" I was in Gringotts and saw you walk out. The Managers were practically singing about you though, so it wasn't hard to figure out who they were talking about. But you look a lot different under that armor than the scrawny boy they sent down."

Harry frowned, " Nice to know someone is impressed. Most people aren't going to recognize me unless I go walking around with a sign screaming, 'Hey Everyone! I'm Harry Potter!' Not that I'm complaining about it. Secrecy will work until the Goblins and Dwarves are mustered for war."

Damien's eyes flew open in fear. He exclaimed, " The Goblins can't possibly be thinking of a revolt at this time!"

Harry smirked, " The enlightened Goblin Kings believe that Mankind has failed in its sacred duty to defend the world. They have come to the conclusion that this battle with Voldemort will be better fought using Goblin Steel and Dwarven Ingenuity. Something most humans can't attest to."

Damien whispered, " You sound like you aren't human yourself anymore…"

" That's because I'm not. I'm smarter now than I was before. Dumbledore thought his tools would stay so nicely in the shed? He was wrong. I have only grown more powerful in the Dark Roads than I was before. I really must thank the man when I see him in the Afterlife. Assuming he's not burning in Hell that is,", Harry said with an arrogant twinkle in his eye, very much like the old man he was talking about.

Daphne looked at the new Harry with intrigue in her eyes, " Father, he sounds an awful lot like the one the Goblins call the Cold Prince does he not?"

Harry's eyes flashed, " Speak not ill of the Great Cold Prince. To do so is to risk the ire of Goblin Nation. Of all humans, he alone is privileged enough to lead. Sorry, that's an automated response. Even a mighty commander like Lazarus fears Charles Zoroark. I sometimes forget that I now hold status equal to, and possibly greater than, the Cold Prince."

Damien smiled, " Then we must acquaint ourselves well, and quickly leave this scene. Where is your safehouse?"

" Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Goblins already evicted those living there. Be sure to Apparate to Grimmauld Street, because the wards will kill you if you try to apparate in."

Damien nodded, and apparated with his daughter away. Harry walked into WWW, where he was greeted by Fred and George. They didn't recognize him and pulled their wands. Harry laughed, " What harm do you think those little sticks of wood will do to me?"

Fred and George recognized the tone of his voice, which hadn't changed much. They lowered their wands, and George shouted, " Harry! Mate, it's been awhile. I see the Roads have treated you well."

Harry answered, " Physically yes, emotionally no."

Fred joked, " Eh? Did little ickle Harry get a girlfriend while in the roads?"

Harry's eyes darkened as he reached for the small sash in his belt pouch, " I'd rather not talk about it. It was painful."

Fred and George saw the look of a killer in Harry's eyes. They knew not to step further. Clearly this Harry was not the same meek boy they sometimes pushed around slightly from last summer. This was a man who'd come back from trials they couldn't imagine to lead. Fred decided to change the topic, " So, anything you want to know about up here?"

" Tell me what you know."

" Well, Katie's almost dead. She got hit by some dark curse that sent her neural system into shock. While undamaged, they say she's unlikely to ever waken from the coma she's in. Neville hooked up with Ginny."

Harry muttered at this point, " Huh, that's disappointing. Oh well, better looking women out there. Anything else?"

" The old man kicked the bucket. Killed by Snape they say. Neville was there, but he won't tell anyone everything. Bill got hurt pretty bad from Greybeck. Oh, by the way. Bill and Fleur getting married here in a week or so. You want to come?"

Harry smirked, " Can I wear my armor?"

George laughed, " Mum'll freak, but I don't see why not. You look better in that armor than dress robes anyway. You can come as our guest, since Mum's probably forgotten you existed."

Harry laughed, " She will wish that indeed. Well, I'd better be going. I've got some people to collect."

With that, Harry up and left the WWW store. In a second, he was back at Grimmauld Place. He cracked open the door, and walked into the house that had been Sirius' hell.

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( A few hours later)

Harry pulled a bottle of Vodka out of the fridge ( habit already picked up from Nikolai), and tossed it to Isilde. He offered one to Damien, and one to Daphne as well. Damien accepted his, but Daphne glared at him disapprovingly. Harry took a swig, and commented, " What? When you're fighting for your life day in and day out, you pick up on some bad habits."

Isilde smiled, " I see you're in pretty good spirits, Champion Potter."

Harry leaned back in his chair, " Let us move to the foyer, and explain everything to each other shall we?"

The party stood up, and lounged onto the sofas and chairs in the foyer of Grimmauld Place. Harry had already threatened Old Bitch Black with his blade, figuratively and literally, so the old wench promised to shut the fuck up while he was working. Harry asked, " Now, we need to do some heart to hearts here. Damien. You first."

Damien took a drink and introduced himself, " I'm Lord Damien Odysseus Greengrass, youngest of four sons. I'm 39 years old, and have three daughters. My only son died of a small accident when he was five. My oldest daughter sold my family to the Death Eaters, and my youngest followed her. I only recently came across a lead that my middle child, Daphne here, was going to be Imperiused and used in a suicide raid on the Weasley store."

" So you were going to take on your oldest daughter, Bellatrix Lestrange, and a couple of other Death Eaters by yourself?"

Damien smirked, " Trained by old man Moody, and old man Moody's teacher myself. I was Dorian Theriot's last pupil before he died of cancer. I spent three years as a Top Auror, youngest ever, before being booted out for excessive force. I spent the last ten years working as a Hit Wizard and an assassin as well. The money keeps my family afloat despite the best efforts of my older, and understandably bitter, brothers. You see, the Greengrass family chooses it's Lords via merit, not primogeniture. However, almost our entire fortune is still tied up because of all the challenges to my parents' wills. I want you to understand this one thing. Family is most important to me. If you had made good on your threat to kill Daphne, or even tried to, I assure you this. I would have fought you, and even if it meant the curtailing of my own life, I would have fought you."

Harry smiled at the man, " Good, it is nice to see true nobility in these dark times. Now, Daphne, you?"

The blonde nodded curtly, and introduced herself, " I'm Daphne Anastasia Greengrass. I'm seventeen and was kidnapped from my family during a feud. My mother was Imperiused, and my sisters are Death Eaters. Since father was already gone, I couldn't escape, and was forced to fight as an unmarked recruit. I was supposed to die in this battle, as the Dark Lord claims to have foreseen Harry Potter's uprising, and waned to nip it at the bud. He wanted you to kill me, an innocent caught in the wrong place, to discredit you. Much like Fifth Year, if you remember."

" As if I could ever forget,", he muttered with a dark scowl.

Daphne smiled at him, " Well, father intervened, so you didn't kill me. I shall tell you, I've long wanted to meet you, Harry Potter. I'm sure you can understand my reservations about approaching you at school. And I've already talked about my sisters, so I think we can see that it has played out well."

Harry smiled back, " Well, nice lady, I thank you for your interest. But for now, I'm keeping my options open. Isilde, you are next. Do be truthful now, I want to hear this myself."

Isilde shuddered, her dark hair shimmering in the dimly lit room, " I'm Isilde Frieda Kottipelto. I look seventeen, but I'm supposed to be twenty two. I've been in the Dark Roads for five surface years, fighting with an enchanted bow for survival. My sentence kept getting extended because I had trouble staying healthy. Eventually, I ended up on Champion Potter's team. Now for the real story."

Harry sighed, " Now, we enter territory that even I haven't ventured. I warn you, I already knew everything Isilde just told you, from either witnessing it or her medical records."

She sent a glare at Harry, " Well, you all know how the Scandinavian Countries still use Magical Monarchy? Well, I was once the crown princess of Finland."

This even took Harry by surprise. " I was a gentle young woman. My family still believed in the old virtues of arranged marriages and the such. They often tried to pair me with men I was immensely incompatible with. Sometimes they were significantly older, sometimes they were younger. Well, I finally met one my age. We instantly grew to like each other, but my sister was jealous. She slipped a Fury potion into his wine one night, and he was able to overpower me. He had his fun, but I killed him for it. My family was outraged, just as my sister had planned. They sold me to the Goblins for a pittance, and disowned me. I hold my wand in my hand, and I realize that this is the first time in five years I've even seen it. I thank Champion Potter for saving me from that hell."

Harry frowned, " It is a good thing I had not been told this, lest I hunt them myself. I wonder how they could have blamed you for what he did? Is it always this way?"

Damien spoke up with an angry look, " Amongst the old lines, it is. Likely, her father saw it as an insult that she would do such a thing. I remember my grandfather telling stories of the old Contracts. They would have these little trial clauses and such. I don't know if they are as bad elsewhere, but here in Britain, they were outrageous. Thank God that the Ministry outlawed them."

Isilde eagerly nodded her head, " They're probably worse elsewhere. My parents just played it off as him using Clause 9 of his contract. So they punished me for breaking it."

Damien grimly nodded as well, " That's how contracts work. The people who break them are the ones who get in trouble, no matter how justified it is. I admit, it is not my favorite part of history. I didn't think other countries would still be using them. We're ass backwards here in Britain, and yet they're outlawed."

Daphne added, " Not entirely true, father. I've heard Draco talk about how his father had found loopholes in the legislation and was trying to find away to force me and Tori to marry him. Then again, I almost wish Astoria would marry him now. That way she'd find out how atrocious the people she assorts with truly are."

" There can be no saving the dark,", Harry said with a sad expression, " It is unfortunate, but also a very real possibility that one of the casualties of the coming war will be your family. I can't guarantee your survival even if you're on my side, and I can damn sure guarantee I shall show no mercy."

Damien answered bluntly, " I would expect nothing less from the man the Goblins call Champion."

Harry smirked as he placed a hand on the helmet of the Sentinel, " Excellent. I declare this to be formation of my council of humans. My own set of retainers for the coming battles. Now, I will be honest with you all. So here comes my introduction."

Harry smiled as he imparted his tale, " I'm Harry James Potter, Champion of Goblins. For the last year, I've toiled away, slaughtering hordes of unspeakable monsters, and over that time, I've realized something. Magic, good or evil, is not the savior of the world we wizards make it out to be. In fact, I've come to understand why Goblins hate wizards so much. It's not because we are assholes to them. It's because we use our magic in such careless ways. Right now, we deal with a Dark Lord who's killed hundreds, tortured more, and casually tossed aside so many others. All magic we perform has a cost. Whether it is an indirect cost to our own magic stamina, or the creation of a creature, it all has a cost."

Damien looked at Harry, " I've often heard of that. The Darkspawn of the Dark Roads, I believe, are created by the oversaturation of magic underground. In essence, Magic gives birth to these horrendous creatures. They either can't or don't think, but they only kill. For years, the Goblins have been using their criminals to fight them."

"It's worse than that. The Goblins use not just their own criminals, but human criminals as well. They've discovered a form of Dimensional Magic that allows them to travel the worlds. They kidnap others to fight the monsters as well. And yet, to this day, no Goblin or Dwarf has ever been able to approach the area where they all originate. We've deduced that all Magic coalesces to one location, yet have never been able to reach it. We need more warriors, more power, to defeat the Dark Creatures. Yet our cries for Surface aid goes unanswered, and Wizards continue to create more Creatures."

Daphne pulled her wand out of her robes and looked down at it, " I've never thought or heard of such a thing. Is this how it really works?"

Harry narrowed his eyes in contempt at his own wand in his hand, " When Wizards could cast magic wandlessly, there was no concern for the Creatures. The magic filtered out and was cleansed. But when the first Ollivander invented the first wand back in 32 B.C, wands amplified magic considerably. Before that, only the most powerful wizards could cast magic. Staves were just walking sticks. But after that, magic became so powerful and concentrated, it needed a way out. So the creatures came into being. Because the first wands were invented here in Britain, the Creation Mechanism is located somewhere in the Dark Roads under Britain. Goblins have long searched for a way to destroy it, but alas, with their ties to the top, they can't descend and remove it. Wands also generate what is called Negative Energy. You see, magic creates certain creatures like Fairies as is. But it is when this Negative Energy is infused with the normally benign Magic Energy, the creatures become monstrosities."

Harry placed his right hand over his left eye, and smiled, " While I was in the Dark Roads, I wasn't wasting my time swinging a sword and being a slave driver. My commander taught me some pretty exotic magic. One of them, is Aura Magic."

He removed the hand from his eye, and it was now glowing a faint blue, hardly discernible if you didn't look hard. He explained, " This is a little secret that helps explain why Moody can see people, even if they are invisible. As you know, his fake eye is vivid blue right? This sight is the same color."

He acted like he was turning a knob on the side of his head for emphasis, and the light began to grow, " I can intensify the power to better see everyone's Auras. For example, I can hardly see Isilde's normally, because she hasn't used magic in so long, but I can see it clearly at thirty power. But Damien's is like the light of thousand suns at this level, because he's a powerful, if brash, wizard. Daphne's kind of a mix, not extremely strong like her father's , but not weak like Isilde's. You can probably see why I would keep this turned off right? Someone like Dumbledore would blind me."

Harry placed his left hand over his right eye, and removed it, revealing a pale red glow, " This is my other Eye ability. Flash Acuity, the ability to make a one-time read into the opponent's mind. It's like Legillimency, but more powerful, and I can only use it once on a person before it becomes useless. I can even alter the way someone thinks if I use it right. Lazarus wouldn't let me try it too much, because I accidently turned a Goblin into a vegetable the first time. Apparently, if you have high magical power, you can force it to work more than once on someone, but at the risk of damaging their mental abilities. Frankly, if I wanted slaves, I would have joined Voldemort a long time ago. But since I don't, I didn't."

Isilde looked a little nervous as she said, " Anything else we should know about?"

Harry smirked, " Not at the moment. Lazarus knew a lot of magic for a guy who couldn't really, well, use it as often as he needed. Some of the stuff he taught has some potentially lethal side-effects."

Everyone paled at that. Harry kept his arrogant smirk. It was the truth. Some of the magic that Lazarus had taught him were less than harmless in their Real side effects, and might even give Voldemort pause about trying. Lord knows, that Soulstorm spell in particular looked dangerous as hell. _Why does everything Lazarus taught me seem to involve the risk of either losing my soul, getting corrupted, getting killed, or otherwise being bodily harmed? At least Flash Acuity doesn't have any unhealthy side effects. For me at any rate._

Harry leaned back with a yawn, " Going to bed guys. Pick a spot, Goblins coming by in the morning to finish the ward retouching. Have a nice night."

With that, he got up and went to bed. Back down stairs, Daphne commented, " I liked him before, but I really like him now."

Isilde chuckled, " He's an acquired taste at the best of times, and here you two had never met before? And you already like him? Don't waste your time anyway. Harry's probably better off waiting to grab one of the Claimed from the Eluvians. They'd suit his personality better."

Damien scowled at the two females, " Not the time for this discussion girls. And I don't care that you're twenty two Isilde. Last time anyone anywhere saw you, you were seventeen. Get over it. And for you, Daphne, keep yourself together. Remember that Champion Potter was about to kill you, and would have, had I not stepped in. He's obviously quite different from the one you admired at Hogwarts."

Daphne scowled at her father, " All the same, father. I actually think this personality suits him better than the old one he used to have with Weasley and Granger. Much more forward I might say. I hope you and him can work well together, Father."

Damien smiled, " I'm pretty sure that we can,", but he was also thinking, _Or I might be a dead man pretty soon. I may have family problems, but I like my head on my shoulders as much as any guy. Anastasia, I hope you're ok. If you aren't, then Daphne'll be the only one left. And I don't know if I could take that. _

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( Neville/Hermione/Ron)

A more fit, capable, yet still somewhat inept, Neville scowled at his erstwhile "friends" as they continued to prepare for their Horcrux Hunt. Neville wasn't exactly sure this was the type of adventure he wanted to take part in. He would be much better at organizing the students into resistance groups, because someone evil was sure to be appointed after Dumbledore's death.

Hermione scoffed at Neville, " What would be the point of this if the Chosen One isn't tagging along? After all…"

Neville glared, " I won't be your handbag in this battle, Hermione Granger. I'm the Chosen one in nothing but name. Hell, I shouldn't even have that. It should be Harry's title. You're more the Chosen One than I am. All I know about Horcruxes is that you have to use Basilisk venom, Avada Kedavra, or Fiendfyre to blast them. You've been channeling Dumbledore with the rest."

Ron tried to keep the peace, " Listen, it might be best if Neville doesn't come. Plus, someone needs to look after Ginny and the others."

Hermione sent a withering gaze at Ron, " I don't think Ginny will need any looking after, Ron. You need to fess up and admit that your little sister isn't so little anymore. If anything, she's a more capable wizard than you are."

Ron blushed furiously, but bit his tongue. Ron was more powerful, but Ginny had a clear skill advantage over him. Hermione actively kept a list of who's power was what, and calculated a value based on how they performed. Ron was power level 1012, and Ginny was 954, but Ginny was significantly more skilled. But no Weasley, save the Twins, had values higher than two thousand. Bill was the highest with 1873. However, that paled to Fred and George, with matching 7000. Hermione's own value, as done by someone other than her, was roughly ten thousand. Harry's was unknown.

If you took into account his various heroic deeds, he would be in a legendary class all by himself. But if you factor in his lack of spell knowledge and actual talent with spells, then it was much lower. A more feasible twenty thousand, as compared to Voldemort's one hundred thousand or Dumbledore's ninety. It was even lower if you factored his not so high intelligence and penchant for following orders in.

Neville saw the list, " Hermione, why do you bother keeping this list? Power comes in more ways than just, well, power. Like cunning, courage, willpower, etc."

Hermione scowled at him, " Nonsense Neville. Skill, knowledge, and power. Now, finish packing Ron. I need to finish translating the Three Brothers."

Neville thought, _Me or Ron could just tell you, but we would rather see you work for a change. Dumbledore spoiled you rotten during the last year. We need that mind of yours to actually work._

Ron's mum called up, " You three better go to bed! The Wedding's early!"

Ron shouted, " Alright Mum!"

A/N's: Well, if anyone's been wondering why I've been gone so long, well there's a reason. One: Writer's Block! It's such a bitch sometimes, especially when you use a lot of references in a story, while not trying to make it overtly a mix of two universes. I give this warning: Prepare yourselves for battle in the next chapter. I mean it this time.

Harry Has New Magic?: Yes he does, and he wasn't wasting his time down in the Roads just swinging a sword, as he said. Next chapter will have some examples of both Flash Acuity and Aura Reading, as well as some other little tricks Lazarus ( a Grey Knight from WH40k. for those who couldn't guess) taught him.

Daphne: Well, it's natural they wouldn't be instant friends, not given this Harry. And I thought it would be interesting for the situation to be different. Harry actively trying to kill her. I just think it would be nice to see the "Other" side of the old " Daphne gets saved by Harry" cliché.

Armor of the Sentinel and Starfang: Armor and weapon from Dragon Age Origins expansions.

Shield of Dumat: A shield with the symbol of the First Archdemon on it. In Dragon Age, Runes with Dumat's symbol gave weapons additional damage to Darkspawn, and armor higher resistance.

Naginata: A remnant from when this story was going to originally feature Harry being a Samurai ( an effort to go the opposite of Harry being a Ninja).

Canon Pairings: Generally, the canon pairings get the middle finger in my stories, especially Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione. Although I can firmly say that no pairing has suffered quite as much abuse in my stories as Bill/Fleur, even though that's really one of the only ones I don't have an issue with. Be prepared for battle in the next chapter.

Finally, I'd like to give credence to a reviewer who said he would be interested to see what it would be like to have Harry leading an army of Goblins. Stick around. You'll find out.


	6. Chapter 6 A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

Chapter 6 A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

A/N: Thanks to BloodyKitsune for pointing out some flaws with the fighting in this chapter. Hopefully, I can go Dragon Age 2 and streamline the fight. Unfortunately, fighting isn't my specialty as a writer.

Fred laughed as he pinned a rose to his dress robes, " Hey George? You think Harry's gonna show?"

George smiled back at his twin, " I'll be calling him the Dark Tosser if he doesn't. That armor was impressive. Here's hoping he wears that for maximum effect. Mum's going to freak if he shows up wearing that. Specially the dragon helm."

" You're right about that. Wonder if the whole Champion nonsense is real or not?"

George shook his head, " Don't know. But Bill seemed positively terrified of the Champion. Wonder who it is? I mean, Bill looked like he was going to piss his pants when he was telling mum about it. I bet he would let the Champion shag Fleur if he asked."

" Don't know if he'd have to ask. Just look at her more likely. Even Cursebreaker Weasley is scared of him. Charlie didn't sound impressed, so maybe it's just a Goblin thing."

George mused, " Still wonder who it is. You don't think it could be Harry could it? I mean, Harry comes back, and suddenly the Goblins are chattering about this Champion."

" Harry? Pssh, yeah right. No way our old mate's the Goblin Champion."

George brightened again, " Yeah your right, old brother of mine! Now, let's finish getting ready for this wedding."

The twins cackled together as they finished their dress robes. Then the door opened, revealing Harry dressed in his Armor of the Sentinel, with a polearm hanging on his back. The poleaxe had a small blue sash with the insignia of a white wing tied to it. Next to it, was a furled up banner. His shield hung loosely on his left arm, which he also held a different wand in. His sword was sheathed at his left, so he drew it with his right hand. The armor was a dark magma color, like burnt stone with lave flowing through it. The Twins were impressed.

Fred commented, " Well, you aren't any girl's knight in shining armor, but that armor's going to pick you up some Veela pussy if you wear that."

Harry smirked, " Then I guess it's a good thing I brought condoms."

George gaped, and Fred smirked, " Did you really?"

" Why, you need some? Or, are you too afraid to try and pick up the bridesmaids?"

George frowned, " You ever seen Fleur mad?"

Harry laughed, " Crazed Veela bitch isn't as scary as Giant Ogre running at you with the intent of ripping your head off, and all you have is a little sword and shield to defend yourself. Face it, Wizards don't scare me anymore."

Fred chuckled, " I never expected to ever hear that from you Harry."

George added, " Same here. Well, should we get going? You going to do something about that hair?"

Harry swept his long hair out of his eyes, " Nope, it wouldn't do for me to be instantly recognized when I get there would it? Plus, I don't think Bill's been at work to know who's the Goblin Champion yet."

George cocked an eyebrow, " Why would you know about the champion?"

" I've been living with Goblins for the last year, so I figure I would hear about it. So, what's everyone else going to be wearing? More importantly, are you going to kill me if I try to pick up your sister?"

Fred and George laughed in unison, " We won't, but not so sure about Ron."

" Speaking of Ron, how is the loyal bastard?"

Fred explained, " Well, where should I start? You know how much he used to like Hermione?"

" Yeah, it drove me crazy sometimes. Especially when she went with Krum to the Yule Ball."

George took up, " Well, SHE finally asked him, and he turned her ass down. I mean, down. Way down."

Harry smirked, " Excellent. What next?"

" Well, she pissed a bitch, but now Ron's dating a Slytherin named Tracey Davis. Ironic right?"

Harry was shocked, " Ron? With a Slytherin? Is the world ending?"

" I guess he learned his lesson after you were sent to the Roads. He said that most of the School, several Slytherins included, were in an uproar about it. I think the Slytherin faction was led by a pretty little thing named Daphne Greengrass. We know her father. Pretty frequent customer."

Harry smiled, " I know. Daphne recently came clean to me about how she was attracted to me, despite the whole Gryffindor/Slytherin thing. Turns out, Damien comes here because it takes his mind off of his rather fractured family. You know he and Daphne are the only people in his family who aren't Death Eaters right?"

Fred looked dour, " Damn, I didn't think it was that bad. I knew he had some problems, because he always came in here looking so sad, but I didn't think it was that bad. He helped the old Order out a little bit, but mum always complained about his lecherous ways. Works for hire you know."

Harry smiled, " Money is a great motivating factor for a lot of things. Especially when paired with other reasons. Now, we have a wedding to crash. I trust you two have other guests?"

" Angelina and Alicia. You bringing anyone?"

Harry smirked, " I could bring Isilde, but I think she'd be pissed that she didn't have time to get ready, so no."

Fred and George looked at each other, and Fred spoke first, " Good, because we didn't tell mum we were bringing anyone else."

" I love being the party crasher."

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( Ron)

" So, are we certain we are going to leave after the wedding?"

Hermione buzzed, " Yes! How many times do I have to tell you the plan? Besides, what's so important? Do you want to see if Bill's going to start his honeymoon in front of everyone?"

Ron blushed, " It's a hope and dream to see Fleur nude, but only if my brother's not in the picture."

" What about Neville?"

Ron hissed, " What about him? I thought it was pretty clear he isn't coming along, Hermione. He says he can do more at Hogwarts."

Hermione sighed angrily, " Damn it. As if this little Endeavour was hard enough as is!"

" Look mine twin! Me thinks me be hearing little Hermione complaining about work?"

" Then the world must truly be ending! Granger complains about work, and Delacour comes off the market. A sad day indeed."

Ron greeted his twin older brothers happily, " Hey guys. How's the shop going?"

" Excellent, my boy. We been making a killing with all those sad saps coming in because of the war."

Ron didn't exactly like the tone of Fred's voice, but rolled with. Then he saw a man walking around in armor. He pointed, " Hey? Who's that?"

Fred smiled, " You'll find out."

Ron didn't like that very much. He didn't like being around unknowns very much, but he did think he recognized the figure slightly. The man walked around in armor, which was odd. He also had something furled on a staff on his back, with a strange, curved, bladed weapon. Said weapon had a blue sash on it. He had a shield with a very scary looking symbol on it. The shield was highly polished, but obsidian black, with the insignia looking like it was engraved in fire. The helmet had wings on it that looked like a cross of dragon and demon wings. His sword was longer than Ron's arm. He looked at Ron, and Ron was staring into cold, calculating, almost bored, green eyes. Hermione said something really nervously, " Are you sure it's safe for that guy to be here?"

Fred scowled, " Why? Worried about his health? Just because he prefers to show his muggle weapons off, doesn't mean he's not a wizard."

As though he heard them, the man pulled out a wand and cast a powerful Lumos spell. That didn't make Hermione feel any better, " How do you know he isn't a Death Eater?"

George laughed smugly, " Oh we know. Trust us, we know he's not a Death Eater. We saw him ruthlessly cut down three right outside our shop the other day."

Hermione hissed, " He KILLS?"

" Of course! What else should you do with Death Eater dogs?" the man calmly answered back, drawing a little attention. Charlie said, " Ah, that must be the guy who killed Lestrange. Knife to the chest he gave her. Don't even want to know how he got so close to her. Just amazing that is though."

Hermione huffed, " We shouldn't kill these people! They need to be given a second chance! Or at least arrested so they can wallow in their mistakes."

The man shouted, " And that's what got the great Albus Dumbledore killed. Spouting idealistic bullshit that didn't save anyone's life. If anything, it only got more people killed. Think for a second. If the Lestranges had been executed rather than imprisoned, than a myriad of people would still be alive, Sirius Black the least of them. And the world would be a far better place without bloodthirsty maniacs like Dolohov and Macnair."

Hermione went red in the face, but everyone else shut her down. Neville commented, " He's got a good point you know. Maybe if they had been executed, plenty of people would still be alive, and You-Know-Who would have a much smaller powerbase."

Hermione let out an angry growl, " I can't believe you are agreeing with him! If we killed them, then we wouldn't be any better than they are!"

The man smiled, "A man I know wouldn't hesitate to kill them anyway. If it's my family dying, then I want the enemy dead too. Why should they live when my wife and children, and parents, and grandparents were all killed by them? I would personally extract every bit of enjoyment possible out of wringing the life out of them. Slowly."

Hermione hissed behind them, " Sadist."

Molly prevented further argument by declaring that the Wedding would be starting soon. Now things would get interesting.

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( Khazad War Room)

Khazad, and it's rival city, Thule, were equal and exact opposites of each other. The Goblins of Khazad living under a militaristic society. The Dwarves of Thule lived in a friendly Monarchy that was determined via merit. As a result, the Goblin Kings often feuded with their Dwarven Counterpart. However, Varric was more often than not, a match for the five Goblin Kings. It was the Cold Prince of the Goblins that was his enemy. Said Cold Prince was the one speaking right now, boring the hell out of Varric Tethras.

" It has come to my attention that the Surface tensions have increased once more with the actions of our Champion. I am not opposed to tension, but I am opposed to fighting more…."

A goblin came running, shouting, " Milords! This just came in! The Surface Ministry of Magic has just been attacked! The siege has begun!"

" Who's forces?"

" Dark Lord Voldemort's, milord. The Champion has not requisitioned any troops as of yet. He is still reconing the enemy situation."

Everyone at the table swore angrily. It had been their hope that the Light Side would at least be able to hold out for them to bring the real guns to battle, but that was just a pipe dream now. They wouldn't be able to settle with the debt system. They now had to take down both sides. Both Dwarf and Goblin knew that the Humans didn't keep nearly a large enough security force for the Ministerial Fortress, much less the entire country. A corps of roughly a hundred Aurors, and about fifty Unspeakables. The only defense force in all of Britain. And they expected to win this war?

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( Harry)

Harry sighed as he removed the contact in his left eye, revealing his Aura sight, albeit very faintly. He was sitting next to Ron and Neville, who both knew who he was now. He had convinced Ron to go with Hermione, and Neville to stay at Hogwarts, albeit, that was already Neville's decision. Harry laughed as he saw some of the Auras of his comrades.

Luna had a somewhat normal Aura, middle of the stream at best. If Neville didn't already know he wasn't the Chosen One, his Aura was definitely not Chosen One power level. Ron had no qualms about his weakness as a wizard was his lack of skill, but he wasn't the most powerful Aura Harry'd ever seen either. Then he got into the surprising results.

He watched Fleur and Bill as Fleur walked down the aisle. Surprisingly, Fleur had one of the weakest Auras he'd ever seen, really saying something for a guy who hung around a woman who hadn't used magic for five years. Whether it was because her Veela heritage was concealing some of her power, or if she really was that weak and just pretending to be good due to spell knowledge, it was a shock. Given that Fleur's mother, Apolline, registered as having no Aura one moment, and then having a Mid-stream Aura the next, he was inclined to believe that it was mix of the two. Fleur was nowhere near as powerful as he had thought she was, but she wasn't just hiding behind experience either. Unlike Bill, who also surprised him with a weak Aura.

The Goblins always spoke highly of Bill, but they usually did so with a smile on their faces. That screamed " Inside Joke!" to anyone around. They often made jokes about him not being able to finish the job. Since they obviously weren't talking about his sex life ( he bagged a Veela for God's sake) it had something to do with his magic. Funnily, the entire Weasley family, with two very notable exceptions, had rather weak Auras. The Twins were a massive exclamation to that norm, because he had trouble dealing with their Auras on a setting higher than twenty percent.

Luckily, the Twins weren't sitting near him, so he was able to turn his Aura Sight up to fifty percent. He was scanning the woods behind the main stage, because he was certain he'd seen a flicker of magic behind it earlier. Lazarus had a good knowledge of what types of magic did what, so Harry knew that certain colors meant certain magic. The flicker had been purple, meaning that it was a Transportation type of magic. Since Luna had shown up almost immediately after the flicker, he had assumed that it was her. That's when he remembered that Luna lived in the same village as the Weasleys, so why would she be using Transportation magic?

Then he saw it again. He squinted, and saw two more flashes, this time much more distinct. More than one person using a Portkey. Not good. Harry stood up, drawing attention to himself. Some people looked at him, so he muttered, " Uh, bathroom. Be right back."

His armor didn't make things easy, but he managed to fall through the small crowd. He shifted his helm, and turned his Aura Sight up. _Yep, there's people in those woods. I count thirty auras. Some of them are really faint, even on high level, but there's one who stands pretty tall. Must be the commander. Typical Death Eater tactics, just like Darkspawn. Send a bunch of weaklings to cover for the big. _Harry thought as he looked around the woods. He began to formulate a plan. He couldn't let the Death Eaters attack the party. No one but Death Eaters were dying on his watch. Shame Damien wasn't there. These stealthy kind of ambushes were more his style.

Kneeling low in the tall grass, he kept his head up to see the enemy. It seemed they were waiting on a signal of some sort for the attack. If the Ministry was being attacked, a likely occurrence, then the signal would probably be some sort of message from an Order Member in the Ministry. A Patronus Messenger would be such a distinctive messenger. Harry began to draw closer to the Death Eaters. He crept up into a bush, trying to make as little noise as possible in his armor. Luckily, the Death Eaters were paying so much attention looking for their signal, they didn't notice him.

He smirked as an unlucky one separated from the pack, and began walking toward his bush. The Death Eater stopped right in front of him, and turned his back to him. Perfect. Harry reached up, clapped his hand over the Eater's mouth, and drove his dagger into the man's back. He slumped down without a sound, and Harry threw some brush over the body. Luckily, the other Eaters still hadn't noticed. _Twenty nine now._

He couldn't do this forever, it wouldn't take long for the others to notice that there was a missing Eater amongst them. He cast a Disillusionment charm on himself, and rolled out of the bush. Cringing at the sound of his armor clinging, he cast a Silencing charm on himself. He saw a trio separated from the pack. He crept over to them, and hit one with a Stunner, one with a throwing dagger, and the third barely had time to realized what had happened before he was on the ground, dead. _Twenty six now._

He kept moving, making sure to avoid the sticks on the ground. He was within the enemy formation now. Stealth wouldn't serve him much now, he was carrying too much equipment. The Armor of the Sentinel itself was heavy, but it wasn't unwieldy like some armors. It was his banner and polearm that were getting in the way. He sat them down on the ground, and continued onward. His newest target almost walked into him, forcing a quick stab with a dagger. _Twenty five._

That's when the enemy commander began to notice. He commented, " Hey Goyle? Does it seem like we're missing some of the guys?"

Presumably, Goyle answered, " I don't know, Jugson. But it does seem like some is laying around."

Harry cursed as a Death Eater tripped over one of the bodies he hadn't hidden. He hissed, " Hey, it's…Bloody hell he's dead!"

At that moment, Jugson pointed at a glittering silver lynx running towards the Wedding, " That's the signal! Begin the attack!"

Harry frowned as he saw the Death Eaters begin to get into position. He was behind them now. He ran over and picked up the naginata, and slung his shield onto his back. He wasn't running, but he was certainly moving faster than walking. He tried to control his breathe to not give himself away like the Goblins had shown. No easier way to ruin an ambush than for an astute warrior to hear you breathing.

He was right behind Jugson, when the man lifted his head to the perfect height. Harry smiled as he swung the polearm in a horizontal slash. The nearest Death eater didn't have time to register his commander's head hitting the ground before he was impaled. Harry spun the poleaxe around and slashed the next. He parried a weak stunner, reflecting it away with the blade of the Naginata. He quickly shifted positions, and disappeared into the woods, generating confusion amongst the Death Eaters. As he had hoped, they decided to pursue him rather than attack the Wedding. No one ever said Death Eaters were smart now did they?

He smirked as he hid behind a large oak tree to catch his breath. He heard the heavy footfalls of two more Death Eaters coming his way. He spun out from behind the tree, and drove the spear home. One fell, the other tried a curse. Harry dodged it narrowly, though it did take off one of his dragon wings on the helm. He felt his Aura sight immediately weaken, and regretted having his Eye abilities fueled through his helmet. He couldn't count where they were now. He made a split second decision. Bring them to him.

He let out a war cry, drawing all the attention to him, and then turned back into the woods. He barely avoided some of the curses, but when he felt he had reached a safe distance, he turned to face them. Immediately, he turned sideways to avoid a slew of curses that were clumsily aimed at him. He threw his spear at the nearest death eater, sidestepped, and drew his sword. He brought his shield up in just enough time to block an Avada Kedavra and reflect it back. Unfortunately, now his shield was overloaded. He wouldn't be able to block another for a few minutes. He had to keep moving.

He found himself right in a gaggle, he tripped one and broke his neck by slamming his boot down on it. He pulled his wand out, and noticed he was in trouble. Thinking quickly, he fired an overpowered Lumos spell, blinding the enemy. In the small time it took for the nearest foes to regain their eyesight, he cut down five of them. He smiled as he ducked into a large bush to gather his breath.

These Death Eaters were proving to be more a nuisance than expected, if only because they had adopted to his tactics, and were clustering together now. That was a problem, but Harry didn't survive a year in the Dark Roads for nothing. He had picked up on some tricks to defeat clusters of enemies With his wand, rather than the elemental grenades used in the Dark Roads, this was going to be easier. Ten of them congealed together in a pack, figuring there was safety in numbers as they hunted him. He searched for a spell, and came across a powerful fireball spell called Augue.

He drew his wand, and steadied himself. He still couldn't do silent casting, so he was going to be revealing his location. But taking down some Death Eaters, and maybe starting a forest fire, was good enough reason. He whipped around the tree and shouted, " _Augue!"_

A large ball of fire flew from his wand, catching the Death Eaters completely by surprise. The fiery blast incinerated five of their wands, and several died. Some began to cast Aguamenti to try and put the fires out, but Harry pressed his advantage, and cut them down. He jumped back into cover, and noticed the other Death Eaters were now retreating. He heard the cracks of Apparation, and turned his Aura sight up to full power. He saw no one, and began to return to the Wedding.

To his surprise, there wasn't anyone at the Wedding when he returned, save for the Weasley Bros, sans Ron. Fred and George found him first, " Harry, what happened? I thought you were going to the bathroom."

" I got sidetracked by some Death Eaters in the woods. Did any more show up?"

Fred smiled, " We weren't attacked, but the Ministry has fallen. That lynx was Kingsley's warning to the Order members to go into hiding."

" Death Eaters were watching for it. It was their signal to attack. Overheard them while they were unaware of my presence. Say, you guys wouldn't happen to have some grease would you? Need to clean my weapons, and armor."

Charlie came up, asking, " Why don't you just use a Scourgify?"

" Because that doesn't preserve the edge, that's why. First thing a warrior always does, whether he's a greenhorn or a veteran of three wars, is sharpen his blade and clean his armor,", Harry sat down while he was saying this, and pulled out a whetstone. He first used an Aguamenti charm to blast the gore off, and then he used the grease they brought to help sharpen it. Luckily, the blade had sharpening charms on it, so he didn't have to do much.

Bill and Fleur showed up next. Harry smiled at the two, " So, you guys do know me right?"

Bill shook his gauntleted hand, " Fred and George told everyone that you were Harry after you left. But they said you had a bigger secret to tell us. Well?"

Harry laughed, " Get the rest of the family together if you want to know. Is Neville here?"

" Nope, he went back home when Kingsley's Patronus showed up. Ron and Hermione disappeared to a safe house that Dumbledore prepared for them. Don't really know much on what they are after."

Harry smiled as the rest of the Weasley family, namely Arthur and Molly, showed up. Harry stood up, and took his banner in hand. He slammed the flagstaff into the ground, and began to mess with the fastenings on the clothe. In a moment, the banner unfurled, and Bill gasped. A large, golden eagle was on the banner, set against a jet black background.

Harry smiled as he said, " I'm Goblin Champion Harry James Potter."

The effect of his words took effect a moment after he said them, and Bill promptly fell out. Fleur didn't take long to follow him, because they both worked for the Goblins. Thus, they knew the implications of the Champion being in their presence. Ginny scowled at him, " You shouldn't make boastful claims, Harry."

" I appreciate your concern for my ego, Ginny, but I really am the Goblin Champion. Speaking of which, was that you kissing Neville earlier?"

Ginny blushed Weasley red. She answered meekly, and a little embarrassed, " Yes."

" Damn, that means I can't get any pussy. I came out here for no reason!"

Molly scolded his language, in true fashion, " Watch your language Harry. You're amongst humans now, and while I don't know how the Goblins talk, I do know that is inappropriate."

" Trust me, the Goblins are twenty times worse than I am. And the Claimed are even worse than that. Lazarus gave me an earful the first day I was there. ' If you see a fellow warrior that you like, do not hesitate to strike it up with them! It may be the last time you ever see them!' Funny, considering that Lazarus himself claimed that he was bound by oaths of chastity. That didn't keep him from pushing every female that came out of the Eluvians at me."

Fred laughed, " That's a good man there Harry."

Molly scowled, " You shouldn't be acting like a little manwhore like…"

" Like my father and Sirius were reputed to be? What? I'm not allowed to live up to family heritage anymore?"

The Male Weasleys howled in laughter at that, while the two females just scowled in disapproval at him. He stood up, " Well, it has been nice, but I need to get back to Grimmauld Place to finish arranging the Goblin assault. They'll definitely be wanting to battle now that the Ministry has fallen."

Bill paled, " Goblins? Assault?"

" That's right Bill, there will be a Goblin revolt coming. And this one isn't going to fail. They have the Cold Prince. And… they have me."

Bill twitched, " Y-You? You can't be planning to go against your own people do you?"

" What's wrong with it? The Wizarding World is hopelessly corrupt. It needs to be destroyed and rebuilt. A new civilization cannot rise unless the old one is destroyed. It oppresses those who aren't pureblooded. A Muggleborn can't get above Senior Auror and its equivalent ranks in the Ministry. The only way to get rid of it, is to purge it. That's why Dumbledore failed. He was too scared to take the actions needed to win, and it got him killed. "

Bill hesitated, " But wouldn't the Goblin style of thinking be even worse?"

" I already had this argument with Hermione. No it wouldn't. We need Social Darwinism to root out the weak, like Malfoy, and keep them from attaining positions of power. It might give guys like the Dark Lord a legitimate claim, but it is better than watching someone like Fudge on the throne isn't it?"

Bill frowned. George answered, " Hey, he's got a good point. We would be in such a better position if we hadn't had Fudge as Minister."

Harry smiled evilly as he watched the family he once considered to be equivalent to his own dissolve into chaos. The difference of opinions was staggering. Charlie and the Twins were on Harry's side, plus Ron. But Bill, Ginny, and the parents were firmly Dumbledorian in philosophy. That didn't really surprise him that much. The parents owed a lot of what they had to Dumbledore, and Bill was the eldest, so he would have been raised the same way.

On the other hand, the Twins had always been rebellious, and so had Charlie. Harry saw the makings of his own Human following in the process of becoming powerful. There were plenty of neutral families that would make good additions to his own bloc of power. He saw the Turpins, and figured they would be a good place to start. He pulled his Goblin Portkey out, and whisked out to Grimmauld Place.

A/N: Well, I edited the chapter, and hopefully this one is better.

The Battle: I think this version is better. It's a little more tactical, and maybe less action oriented, but overall, I think it's better.

Aura Sight: I'm keeping it, and I knew someone had used it before, but it is apparently rather prevalent. To add some changes to it, it is an Artificial ability that is always active in some aspect. Harry uses contacts to disguise the coloring given because of it. The Dragon Wings on his helm grant him his ability. If he should lose one, it is severely weakened. Should he lose both, it would be rendered inoperable.

Power Levels: To clear things up, I created the Power Level thing in the previous chapter as something for Hermione ( who possesses such an analytical mind) to scale everyone to. It isn't a definitive assumption of how powerful someone is. Power does change in my fiction, unlike others. In response to a concern raised by BloodyKitsune.

Naginata: The favored polearm of the Samurai was used to deflect incoming arrows, as well as being the fastest two handed weapon ever tested on Deadliest Warrior. I'm not exaggerating it's capabilities.


	7. Chapter 7 War Pigs

Chapter 7 War Pigs

Harry walked to the forefront of the Gringotts Bank. He smiled at the salutes the Goblin Guards were giving him, much to the surprise of the humans in the area. His newest set of followers included a couple of neutral Pureblood families, such as the Turpins and the Davis'. The Neutral families were much more receptive to Goblin ( and in some ways, Harry's) ideals. Dark Pureblood families were all Dark Lord supporters, unsurprisingly. However, there were yet still a tremendous amount of Dumbledore style idealist families. Their power bloc, combined with intimidation factors from the Dark families, made recruiting the Neutral families difficult. Harry often found himself stooping to low blow tactics, like potential interest in family daughters, the airing of a few debts, etc, etc. He knew that Magical Britain had long since stopped using Marriage Contract, but that didn't mean that someone wasn't willing to throw their support his way if he so much as acted a tad interested in a high born daughter. Luckily, most of the families he had met had fairly impressive looking daughters, so it had been his pleasure to show interest, despite his rapidly growing relationship with Daphne.

Harry smiled at the gathered Goblin Task Force. Led by his old Goblin trainer, Silverstrike, it was a crack team of some of the best Goblins of the Dark Roads. Hell, it even featured Silver's brother, Goldclaw. Both were birds of the same feather, having almost the exact same mix of drill sergeant and progressive personalities.

Silver laughed, " Look boys, it's the Champion. I remember when he first went down to the roads. Scrawny old sewer rat he was. Now look at him."

Gold sneered, " Not much more now, though is he? Hell, got some muscle, but he's still a rat."

Harry smiled as he said, " Quiet you two. We have business to take care of. Let's get to the briefing."

The squad of thirty Goblins and ten Claimed Warriors, followed him into the Goblin War Room, located just below the main floor of Gringotts. Once inside, he was greeted by his two former mentors, Lazarus, and the Cold Prince, Charles Zoroark. The mountainous Knight spoke first, " Good evening, Champion Potter. The repairs to your helm are finished. Your Aura Sight should be back at full power shortly."

He slid the helm to Harry, who quickly placed it on his head. The Cold Prince nodded. He stood up, " Then now we can get on with the briefing."

A small projector appeared in the room, and the Cold Prince put a small sheet on it. An overlay of the area they were attacking appeared. He explained, " We have discovered a Death Eater cache in these woods. Luckily, our informant managed to escape the Order of the Phoenix with this information, otherwise, it would be for naught."

Harry asked, " Our informant. What would his name happen to be?"

" Damien Greengrass. He seems to be in the right place at the right time all the time. Either way, we will be equipping your team with flashbangs and authorizing the use of magic by your Claimed. They are wizards, not unlike yourself. Use them wisely."

Harry inclined his head in deference, " Of course, Lord Prince. It is my understanding that this battle will be a prisoner fight?"

" Yes, take prisoners. They will be needed."

Harry nodded, " Very well. You hear that men?"

The Claimed chanted, " Yes, Lord Champion!"

Harry ordered the force out, but hung behind. He looked at the Cold Prince, " What's the real reason you are sending me to fucking Godric's Hollow? I seriously doubt the Death Eaters have camped out there."

" You would be surprised, Champion Potter. But you are also correct. There is indeed another reason for your stationing in Godric's Hollow. We believe that the Dark Lord himself has stationed an important item of some sort in the location. It is in preparation to be moved to the Continent, and we cannot allow that. The Dwarves have identified the item as the Scythe of Slytherin. A long thought lost item that has only recently resurfaced, the possibility of it being a Horcrux is so high it's ridiculous."

Harry reflected about the Horcruxes and cringed slightly at one man's attempt to evade death, " You want it destroyed?"

" Only after you have ascertained if it is or isn't a Horcrux. I believe that Lazarus has taught you how to do this?"

Harry answered with a curt nod. The Cold Prince continued, " If it is not a Horcrux, then you will bring it back to us. We will grant it's use to someone worthy in the coming battles. You have enough weapons as is anyway, so you won't need it."

Harry laughed slightly, and took his leave. He had a mission to complete. Meanwhile…

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( Ron and Hermione)

" So this is Slytherin's Locket?"

" No brainer, braniac. Now what,", Ron cringed at the hateful glare he got from the bushy haired girl he had once thought he had been falling in love with, " No seriously. What are we going to do with it? We don't have basilisk venom, we don't have Gubraithian Fire, we can't use Soul fire."

Hermione hissed, " RON! Shut up! I'm trying to think here!"

Ron laughed, " Oh that's such a relief you know."

" Ron, if you don't…."

They were interrupted by the door being bashed down, and Death Eaters entering. Hermione immediately opened fire, and stunned two of the encroachers. Ron rolled aside and hit another himself. They managed to cut their way out of the little corridor of the Ministry they were in. Now they just needed to get out.

Ron grabbed her hand, " To the lift! Now!"

She didn't hesitate to follow him. Once on the lift, they reached the top floor, where dozens of Death Eaters were now prowling for them. Ron hissed, " Now, to the exit."

They almost made it when the Death Eaters saw them. Ron threw up a Shield, and hustled through the entrance and out of the phone booth that was the final lift. Once on the outside, Hermione grabbed him and Apparated them out.

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( Damien)

Damien Greengrass knelt down on the moist grass outside of his manor. It was bad to have to break into your own Manor, but it was a necessity these days. His own family was predominantly turned against him. He could only enter to get certain artifacts and make sure the Dark Lord didn't have access to his full arsenal. The Greengrasses had some…strange weaponry from when they first merged with the Auditore family of Italy. Since that family had a long history of assassins, much like the Greengrass family, they brought several important artifacts with them.

One such artifact was the one he was questing for right now. Blade Vambraces. Used by infamous Italian Assassin Ezio Auditore, who Damien was descended from, they were now heirlooms of the Greengrass family when the Auditores died out. Given that the Greengrasses were now a prominent magical family, and no longer feared for being assassins, they were the less favored heirlooms from what his brothers and fathers considered a dark time.

He hastily climbed up the wall and to a second story window. He deftly picked the lock on the window, and flipped into the room. He pulled Potter's Invisibility Cloak out, which he now had permission to use, and flung it over himself. He cast a silencing charm on his feet and began his trek down to the basement.

His wife, Anastacia, sat at the head of the table on the second floor balcony he just passed. Tempted as he was to reveal himself, and take her with him, he knew it wouldn't work. By now, the Death Eaters had her Imperiused, Obliviated, and Mind scribed. He noticed she wasn't even wearing the ring he had gotten her for their tenth anniversary or their engagement ring. He had to stifle as sob as he thought of this. But he couldn't back down now, he had to get those artifacts. He knew he was running a huge risk emotion wise by coming here, so it was only fair he would pay the price. And he would pay in full later.

He wrenched his eyes away, and jumped from the second balcony into a stack of clothing that the House Elves had gathered below. He made sure the Invisibility Cloak was in position, and began his quest anew. He quickly found the door to the basement. He picked the lock with a hair pin, and entered the basement. He wasn't surprised to see that no one was down there, so he went ahead and locked the door again. However, he was surprised to see the Vault door open.

He entered the Vault, and saw a young woman in it. Like her father, she had long, sleek, black hair that shimmered in a way that made it look more like a crow's bluish black feathers than raven black. She hummed to herself as she sorted through some boxes, when she suddenly stood up. She pulled her wand and declared, " You can come out, Father."

Damien hissed as he threw the Invisibility Cloak off, " Astoria. Why are you here?"

The pretty witch held her hands out, " Isn't it obvious? _Father?"_

Damien fumed at the emphasis she put on the word Father. He yelled back, " No it isn't obvious Astoria! "

She smiled mockingly at him, " Hm, maybe you are looking for those vambraces we have in here? Not thinking about murdering sweet little me now are you?"

Damien's eyes filled with anger. His fury was beginning to override his reason. The bad thing, was that it showed. Damien's green eyes changed to a reddish hue when he got angry, something his children had learned long ago. He smirked evilly when he saw Astoria flinch at the red. He mocked, " What? Is little Astoria afraid of what Daddy can do when he's angry?"

She dropped her pose too, " I know damn well how powerful your anger is _Father_ and I am not to tempt it. They called you the Sleeping Dragon for a reason. The House Elves still do tell tales of how scary you were when you were a child."

Damien arrogantly sneered at his daughter, " They tell the truth. Are you trying to tempt the Sleeping Dragon?"

Astoria laughed, " Of course not. I have a mission to fulfill, and it just so happens to involve you!"

That was it for Damien. He rolled away from his daughter's errant Avada Kedavra, and fired a quick stunner, taking her down. He put a Petrifying spell on her, and undid the stun with enervate. She hissed angrily at him when he took care to walk on her as he went over to the box. He had shown up just in time. The vambraces were right on the top. He carefully strapped each one on, noticing that they didn't fit quite right because he still had all of his fingers. He'd have to get that modified, though even Goblins would be loath to tamper with the work of Leonardo Da Vinci.

He knelt next to his errant daughter, whispering, " You shame this family by serving the Dark Lord."

He smiled as he cut open her left sleeve to reveal a Dark Mark. He dropped his wand in shock when there wasn't one. He fell back, and immediately began to cast revealing spells. They didn't turn anything up. She looked up at him, " Surprised? You didn't think I would actually take the Mark would you? The Dark Lord has plenty of people that aren't marked."

He sneered, " Be that as it may, I am in the service of the Goblin Champion. I must defeat and kill all Death Eaters. Even if that means…."

" What? Afraid to kill your own daughter? The Champion isn't. He cut Lindsey down like wheat before a scythe! And he would have killed Daphne too!"

Damien knew she was trying to rile him up and make him do something he would regret. He lowered his wand, asking, " Any last words, Astoria?"

" Do it! I dare you. I bet you can't."

Damien began to shiver. She was right. It was one thing for the Champion to kill his daughters. But he couldn't. It affronted him, it weighed on his conscious, it tore him apart that he might have to be the one to end their lives. It wasn't in his ability. He just couldn't do it. So he stood up, and backed away. He turned back, " Astoria, there is still time for you to back out of the Dark Lord's grasp. I may hate you, you may hate me, but as your father, I am always here for you."

" Sentimental fool!"

" SILENCE! I am leaving now, and I don't care if you tell the Dark Lord I was here or not."

Damien turned to leave, and he turned just in time to catch a Cutting Curse across his torso. He stared in shock, gasping out, " A-An-Anastacia?"

His wife hissed out in anger, " Don't ever think about harming our daughter again, Damien Odysseus Greengrass. And you wonder why I've ceased to wear anything acknowledging our marriage?"

Damien steadied himself as best he could, and began skirting towards the door, trying to ignore the searing pain in his chest. Luckily, the wound wasn't deep, it was just big. He hissed, " You mean…"

" No Imperius, Damien. This is all of my own free will. I wonder sometimes how you even became head of this family. It sure seemed like you never cared what actually happened to us."

Damien muttered, " No, this is impossible."

His mind began to run, and that's when everything clicked into place. He shouted, " This is it ! EXPULSO!" 

The overpowered banishing curse blasted his errant wife out of the way, and he quickly began to try some field healing spells on his wound. He was able to get it closed so he could at least move out. He quickly exited the Manor, and Apparated away.

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( Daphne)

Daphne sat down at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place. Despite Harry's obvious distaste for the place, she had come to rather like it. Granted, it wasn't a very cheery place like her home used to be, but it had its own dark charms. She pulled a small pocket mirror, and began to comb her mid back length blonde hair. She was humming the rhythm to " I'm No Angel" by Greg Allman, when she heard the knock. It came in the code the residents had come to use. She walked over and opened the door. She gasped as her father stumbled through the door, blood running down his chest. She frantically helped him to a chair and pulled his cloak off. Her father winced out, " I don't know enough healing magic to staunch this all the way. I think Potter keeps medical supplies above the stove. Go get some dressings, and help me wrap this."

She nodded, and hurried into the kitchen, where Isilde had just shown up. She asked, " What's wrong, Daphne?"

" Father's hurt. Looks like a cutting curse. He said he can almost get it to stop, but he needs the dressings to let it heal by itself."

Isilde chuckled, " Well, let me help. I've had my fair share of injuries. Some of them quite serious."

The two women took the items back to Damien, and began to help him. Daphne asked, " Who did this to you, father?"

" Your mother."

Daphne fell out of the chair she was using, " What?"

" Your mother attacked me while I was leaving. I got the vambraces."

Daphne shook her head, " No, father, that isn't what matters. What do you mean mother attacked you? I know you think she's under the Imperious, but…"

" No Daphne, I don't think she's under the Imperious anymore. I think she's doing this of her own accord now. She is now an enemy."

Daphne couldn't believe her father's words. She screamed, " I can't believe you would think mother would join the Death Eaters! I thought you of all people would never lose faith in her! Maybe she was just acting? Maybe she knew what would happen if she was caught not conforming?"

A voice rang out, " Symptoms of denial. Isilde, please take Daphne upstairs. I need to speak with Damien in private please."

Isilde immediately nodded her head to Harry as he stated his request. She took the sobbing young woman upstairs. Harry turned to Damien, who muttered, " Champion, it shames me that you should see me in a state like this."

" Don't be. It only reminds me that, like myself, you are human. But be sure to steel yourself for what comes next. It will not be easy."

Damien lowered his head into his hand, " I didn't think this would happen, Champion Potter. You know my only reasons for fighting."

" You fight only for your family, and at this moment, the only member of your family not fighting back against you is Daphne. Be happy that at least she is here to support you."

Damien stood up and laid back onto a sofa, " So, why exactly are you here?"

" My new mission is to claim the Scythe of Slytherin. I have a Goblin force of forty, including ten Claimed Wizards. Do you know anything of such a Scythe?"

Damien shook his head, " Unfortunately, no. I've always heard that Slytherin was famous for just snakes and his locket. Given that Gryffindor had a sword, it is possible that Slytherin had his own weapon. Ravenclaw had the razors that gave her, her name. Of course, Hufflepuff didn't have a weapon, just some minor trinkets that no man would bother with. Wonder what people would do if they found out the supposedly hard worker Helga was really a spoilt rotten bitch? That's why the Smith's have their terrible tempers you know."

Harry frowned, remembering how much of an ass Zacharias Smith had been, " I happen to have the displeasure of knowing one. I am aware of their tempers."

" Ha. Sounds about right. I'm guessing you know Zacharias Smith then. I went with his father and uncle. Assholes the lot of them."

Harry smiled, " Well, I best be going. The Goblin Force is awaiting my command, and I best not keep them waiting."

And so Harry walked back out of the door. Damien fell into sleep after awhile. Upstairs, Daphne sobbed about her mother and sister. She wondered how it had all come to this. Her entire family seemed to all hate each other now. She walked over to the cabinet where Potter kept some spare daggers. She took one out, and muttered, " Next time…. Next time there will be retribution."

A/Ns: For returning readers, I've edited the hell out of the previous chapter, thanks to some insights provided by Bloody Kitsune. You might wish to take a look at it again.

Damian: Trying to craft an interesting background story is surprisingly simple for an OC, but trying to keep them from being Stu is surprisingly hard. Now that we know Damian's family problems are bad enough to cause even his wife to attack him, how do you think I'm doing? I'll try to keep him in a large role for the story as one of Harry's top human lieutenants.

References:

Auditore: The Greengrass ancestors and the Vambraces are the infamous weapons of Ezio Auditore of Assassin's Creed fame.


	8. Chapter 8 Saturday Night Special

Chapter 8 Saturday Night Special

A/N: This chapter will probably seem a little out of tone. That being said, it might get edited or added to later.

" This cloak and dagger bullshit is pissing me off, Champion."

" Quiet there Grey. You just be ready with those ice arrows when I order it alright?"

" Yes milord."

Harry looked over the small outcropping of the church balcony, with the Claimed Warrior, Grey, standing next to him with a bow made entirely of ice. He pointed at a Death Eater than had separated from the pack of ten, and gave the signal. Grey pulled an arrow back and let it fly. The glimmering blue arrow hit on target. Harry gave the second signal, pulling out his wand and firing a small, red winged bird into the sky.

There were loud screams of anguish and pain as the Goblin squad descended upon the Death Eaters using the cover of the moonless night. All twenty were captured, save the one Harry had ordered dead, though they all lost some blood. Harry smiled at the recognition he got from the commander, Lucius Malfoy. He laughed at him, " So, Lord Ferret, how does it feel to be overtaken by Goblins?"

The Lord Malfoy spit on the ground at Harry's feet, causing the Goblins behind him to yank his head back by his hair. One hissed, " You will show the proper respect to the man who holds your life in his hands."

Lucius smirked, " I doubt Potter would actually kill me. Hell, is he even really the Champion? Or is he another one of those Claimed Warriors like the one with the ice?"

Harry smiled as he pulled out his banner and unfurled it, " No, I'm the real deal Lucius. Which means all that money you and Dumbledore took from my vaults over the years is finally going to be coming back. And my Goblins happen to like the spoils of war. You will cooperate if you do not wish something bad to happen to that beautiful wife of yours."

" You wouldn't dare!"

" Dare what? Have your wife defiled by Goblins? Claimed Warriors? That's where you're wrong Lucius. I'm not the little boy that so eagerly defied you in Second Year. Instead, I am the Champion of Goblins who can cause men to tremble in their boots should they know what that title entails. Just ask Bill Weasley."

Lucius sneered, " Yeah right."

" Don't degrade the Weasleys so much, Malfoy. Ron alone has triple the courage of your entire family put together."

Lucius didn't lose his arrogant sneer, but it was clear that he was breaking a little. Harry laughed as he turned his back on the aristocrat. Nobles like the Malfoys were easy to break. They weren't accustomed to actual resistance, and they certainly weren't accustomed to paying for their crimes. Just minor threats and allusions could turn them into simpering fools, more so than they already were. Sycophants the lot of them. At least Damien was an ex-Auror, ex-Hit Wizard, and current Assassin.

Silver walked up, " Potter, one of the Death Eaters coughed up some information."

" Tell me."

Silver explained, " It appears the Dark Lord has created a variety of these objects known as Horcruxes. One is the Diadem of Ravenclaw, one is the Cup of Hufflepuff. However, we destroyed the Cup during an accident. His snake Nagini appears to be one as well. It would be in our interest to remove these problems as quickly as possible."

" Indeed. However, I do not think we shall see the Snake until the Final Battle is upon us. Due to the work of a man who is best off dead, we shall see Voldemort hiding his true weapons ever more jealously until the final fight. But when the time comes, it will be the Champion of Goblins who destroys him."

Goldclaw twiddled a dagger in his hand, " I look forward to see what this Dark Lord can muster against the Armies of the Collective Nation. But,", he stood up, " We will be needing orders. So, milord, what are your orders?"

Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map, which he had only recently come back into possession of. He whispered the keywords, and the map of Hogwarts appeared. He began to point at places on the map with a dagger, " We need to establish ourselves at Hogwarts before the Dark Lord moves on it. I would prefer to have stone behind us rather than stone in front during that fight."

The head Claimed Warrior, named Legault, nodded his head. He drew his own dagger, and began to trace a path in, " My thieves could get in from here, and we would be able to remove the Death Eaters within. However, it may be more profitable and worthwhile to set up a racketeering operation in Hogsmeade prior to infiltrating the castle."

Harry nodded, " Very well. Set up the operation. We need the money anyway. Champion or not, they're still making me pay out of pocket for these ops."

Silver and Gold smirked at him in the background. Harry scowled at them, " Leave it to greedy ass goblins to make me pay everything."

Gold snickered, " Too bad you're the champion there, Lord Potter. Otherwise, we might have taken offense to that."

Harry sighed. Typical Goblins. Taking plenty of human derogatory terms and turning it into humor. Anyway, Harry sheathed Starfang, and picked up the Scythe of Slytherin. It was a real piece of work, the entirety of the weapons was deep, emerald green. Even the blade. In fact, a test of the blade showed that it WAS made of emeralds. Silver looked at it with a cocked eyebrow, " Emerald isn't a very hard stone. Maybe a six. Why not diamond?"

Harry frowned, " This is Slytherin we're talking about. Then again, maybe it is diamond? Certain impurities change the color of diamond you know."

" Of course we know! We're goblins! Hell, I taught you that!"

Harry laughed, " So you did, Silverstrike. One should listen to one's own teachings sometimes."

One of the Claimed warriors from before, the Frost Archer Grey, handed Harry a sheet of paper. Harry frowned as he read, " Seems the Cold Prince wants you guys to take the Scythe back to him. He's allowing me to send Legault as I see fit. But, he is also placing me on leave for the next couple of months. Something about enjoying myself."

" He wants you to get laid,", Goldclaw chuckled out with a small sneer. Harry sent a glare towards the Goblin, but didn't voice his own opinion. Legault smiled at his commander. Harry tossed the Scythe to Silver. He ordered, " Well, we need to finish this up here. I want Silver to take the boys back to Gringotts and deliver the package to the Cold Prince. I'll…work on securing our allies."

With that, Harry activated his Portkey to Grimmauld Place. Back at the mission site, Gold jeered, " I don't know what happened to the old boy. He had a pretty promiscuous reputation down in the Tunnels. Granted, he spent a longer time with that one girl, but all the same."

Silver looked at his brother, " I'm not privy to how a human heart works, but I believe that Champion Potter was legitimately interested in the little Sorceress of Light. But he should have known better than to let his heart rule his mind in the tunnels. He almost got all of us killed that day. Remember?"

" Yeah, and I didn't like it. Never seen him that angry. You know he attacked the Prince that day right?"

Legault's eyes widened as he listened to the conversation between the Goblins. No warrior, no matter how powerful or privileged they were, attacked the Cold Prince and got away with it. But then again, Harry Potter had become somewhat of a hero to the Claimed warriors, and was on his way to becoming a legend. This only added to his growing fame. Silver chuckled, " That bastard's got some balls on him. Always said so. He's only gotten bolder and more audacious since spending time with the King of Audacious himself. You know, the Cold Prince. CP just laughed Potter's attack off too. Like he expected it to happen and was pleased that it had."

Goldclaw frowned, " That Cold Prince, he's not a living creature at all is he? Bastard takes every damn thing in stride, shows no emotions, no care, nothing at all. He sends men to die every day. He's a one of a kind guy I guess."

Silver laughed at his brother, " I once heard that he met a guy who was just like him. Name started with an L I think. Of course, there were some differences, this guy being a lot more emotional and with more qualms than CZ, but definitely birds of the same feather."

The Goblins laughed in the darkness of the new moon.

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( Dark Roads)

" Ah, Mikaiah, what brings you here?"

The silver haired maiden scowled at Lazarus, " That's NOT how my name is pronounced and you know it. You'd think a fellow Claimed would get it right."

" I assume you aren't here to bitch at me are you? Because if you are, then you are wasting your time."

The silver haired maiden sighed angrily, "No, it's about Champion Potter."

" Reconsidered his offer to you then? You're the only female member of our little company here that didn't submit to his predatory instincts."

She frowned, " How quaint of you. But no, that is not why I am here. Unlike most of these whores, I have a husband to worry about."

" One you'll likely never see again. A good deal of them had husbands too, but you see how that worked out. But, I am not here to convince you to loosen up. What are you here to relay to the champion?"

She smirked, " I want to join him on the surface. Several other warriors have expressed that wish as well."

Lazarus sighed, " I'll see what I can do. I'm certain Potter will not be displeased to learn of having more men at his disposal. But he will not be very happy to see you, you know this right?"

Micaiah smiled, " Yes I know this. But that's a risk I'm willing to take."

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( Harry)

Harry sighed angrily as he left Gringotts. The Cold Prince was as explicit in person as he was in the letter. _Take your leave and get laid. Who the hell does he think he is? Oh well, can't hurt to do that second part. Need to solidify some alliances anyways. _Harry thought as he crushed the papers with his orders in his hand. He thought over his options. He could always just go back to Grimmauld Place and lay around. He could visit the Weasley twins. Or he could go to one his allies' houses and hit up conversations.

He began to run over names in his mind of the people he was working with. Most of the families had daughters that they were willing to let him court if it were to be beneficial to them. And he was more than willing to make it beneficial to them. But it was always infinitely more beneficial to him.

He pulled a picture out of a girl his age with mid back length red hair. She wasn't the most impressive looking girl, not compared to Daphne at any rate, but she was still more impressive than most. Harry looked at the name. _Lisa Turpin_, he noted, _eldest daughter of the Turpin family. Ravenclaw, just turned seventeen a few weeks ago. Right nice looking. Hell, I've fucked worse. Parents keep her at home because of Death Eaters at Hogwarts. Seems she had a little bit of trouble of the sexual kind when she was in Fifth year from Malfoy. Another reason to kick the little Ferret's ass. He didn't get past second base, but that's more than enough to cause intense trauma if I remember Leliana correctly._

He pulled another picture out, this one of Daphne's brunette friend Tracey. _Good enough looking, but Ron'll be really pissed if I go Geralt on his girlfriend. As unbelievable as that is. So scratch her._

He sighed as he decided to pay the Turpins a visit. He didn't notice the small cadre of Claimed warriors that came out of Gringotts.

A/N: Hard to believe but I actually had someone talk about the lack of any action for Harry in a review. But if that's the only thing you complain about, then I'm doing something right. Same for Warlocke with his Page Break rant. Anyway, this is a short chapter for the simple fact that I really just wanted to get Harry's little mission out, and allude to why Harry isn't nearly as active as my summary might imply. There is a story for that, and it involves the latest round of Claimed warriors to join the fold.

Claimed Warriors of this Chapter

Micaiah: The Dawn Maiden of Daein, and of course, Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn. Her husband is a spoiler for a potential ending of the game. As for the misspelling of her name earlier, it was to indicate that Lazarus was purposefully mispronouncing her name, pronouncing it My-Kah-Ah instead of Mi-Kai-ah.

Legault: A Thief from Fire Emblem 6.

Grey: Is actually Gray Fullbuster from Fairy Tale.


	9. Chapter 9  The Blight is Coming

Chapter 9 A Quest for the Crown

" Bye Harry!"

Harry smirked at the redhead he was leaving behind, " I'll be sure to return later."

He flicked open his portkey, and flashed out to Grimmauld Place, from which he Apparated to the coordinates he had forced out of a Goblin. According to the records, the next Horcrux to seek out was the Diadem of Ravenclaw. The Diadem had last been seen somewhere in Albania, so that was where Harry decided to start his Quest for the Crown.

The Diadem had been an item of some renown, unlike some of the other suspected Horcruxes. It had supposedly been an item of great beauty, and supposedly could grant one incredible intelligence. However, the legend behind the diadem was different.

The legend was that Ravenclaw had designed it to be the wedding tiara of her daughter, Lilith, when she was to wed, who else, but Baron Henry Potter. However, the Baron had done something to gravely offend the woman, who, due to having been immensely coddled by her mother, was well known to have many sensibilities. So she ran off to a forest somewhere in Albania.

The Baron was pissed to say the least. He tracked her down, and ordered her to return so he could get married to her. Funnily enough, the Baron had fallen in love with the woman now, and had already scorned many another in her favor. However, she no longer returned his feelings in the same way.

His slight to her honor has long been lost to history, but the insult was apparently grave enough for her to utterly reject him, and swear an Unbreakable Vow to never consort with him again after the day he found her. So, in a fit of rage, he slew her with a thrust of his claymore. However, after her death, he found that he no longer had purpose in life, and killed himself in his grief.

Both of these people now found Hogwarts as their refuge. The Bloody Baron was Baron Potter and the Grey Lady was Lilith Ravenclaw. The Baron's Blade can still be found at what remained of Potter Manor. But the Diadem was a different story.

Legends say it was lost to history, that the Baron destroyed it when he killed the Grey Lady. However, Harry of all people, knew far better than to believe just the legends. After all, such legends had a tendency of writing themselves and changing over history. What he heard now, could be ten thousand light years away from what actually happened. Just look at those idiot fairy tale style stories they used to tell of him.

Harry had already deduced that Voldemort had made the Diadem into a Horcrux, simply by the fact that things tended to disappear around the man. Surely someone would have found it by now, unless someone was actively trying to protect it?

However, the Diadem was one of the few Horcruxes that they literally had no leads about. They were fishing in the dark when it came down to it. Given that he was still technically on leave, he wasn't even supposed to be doing this, but he got rather tired of dealing with British Witches sometimes.

It wasn't like he didn't like sex or anything, but this wasn't America. With Wizarding world politics, it was virtually impossible to get a little action with no strings attached. Even at Hogwarts, students generally only had sex if they were already betrothed via contract (Su Li and Anthony Goldstein for example), or whores ( Lavender and Parvati). The majority of the school remained hapless virgins until after they got out of school. Maybe it was the stigma of being a nerd or something.

Either way, dealing with damned Wizarding Nobility became such a hassle that he could very much appreciate the Gringotts way of thinking. It also meant that he was likely going to be heavily ridiculed by, at least, his more proper friends once they found out about him being the resident Gigolo down in the Deep Roads. While he couldn't exactly call Hermione his best friend anymore, he got a chuckle out of imagining what the prude's face would be like when she found out.

He rounded the corner in the forest, and began to make his way towards the center. Harry hadn't noticed it, but his effect on other people had made a drastic change. No longer were people looking upon him as the Boy-Hero of the Wizarding World. Many were now starting to look upon him as the Savior of the Wizarding world as a whole. A man who could lead them from the dark ages that the current day was. He was unaware that he was inspiring people to turn away from their ideals, and follow him.

Ron Weasley put it quite nicely, " I miss the meek guy I could identify and hang out with, but I am also pleased with this one. A man who treads the paths needed to save us from the Dark Lord, and to reform the world."

Hermione would put it in a different way, " He has an insufferable God-complex that makes him believe that he owns the world and knows it. I don't know what those Goblins did to him, but I wish they hadn't done it."

Speaking of characters with God-complexes…..

*&&*(*^^*(&^*(&&&&***&^^^^

( Cold Prince)

If God-Complex has a definition in the dictionary, then two men in all of history appear right next to it. One of them is the Cold Prince, Charles Zoroark. The other one, was Albus Dumbledore. Men who claim to have notions of how limited they are tend to be the ones who have no limitations.

Charles was a man of manipulations, always had been. But he was very proud to see that Harry Potter had become a man of similar dispositions. However, unlike Charles, Potter had both the figure and the manpower to back up his ambitions now. The boy had a nice habit of defying superiors too. Good thing that the Goblins found him, because the kid would be hopeless in the Ministry, where the hierarchy was decided by who can stick their nose the furthest up the right person's ass.

Well, he'd be hopeless now, because he'd certainly gotten his fair share of the Goblin mindset going in his direction. He chuckled, imagining what Lucius Malfoy would do if he showed up to bribe Harry and Harry told him to fuck off. And he would definitely use that terminology.

Charles was hailed by the voice in the mirror sitting on his desk, " Cold Prince, how's the world treating you?"

" Same as you, no doubt. Still trying to figure out how to reveal yourself after faking your own death?"

The voice laughed evilly, " Naturally. Can't take over the world if I'm dead can I?"

Charles chuckled faintly, " Agreed. It does create a rather debilitating lack of resources and men doesn't it?"

" To put it mildly. And I'm very certain you are aware of how my world sees me."

Charles laughed louder, " I am very familiar with that yes. It's so easy to make the world hate you, but it's so hard to make them love you."

" Never heard a truer statement in my life, being honest. How's Mr. Potter doing?"

Charles pulled some papers out, " Champion Potter is doing excellently. He's got a sense of duty that's bigger than that idiot in your world, but he's also got a wild side. He's not afraid to do what is necessary to get things done. At this rate, we might be able to finish this war by the beginning of May."

" You mean finish it in Britain right?"

Charles nodded, " Naturally. It will take much longer to conquer the rest of the world, seeing as to there are over a hundred Goblin and Dwarf clans scattered on every continent. But very few are as concentrated and as angry as the ones here in Britain. Tethras does a good job keeping the Goblin Kings from going nuts and starting a new revolt, but I only wonder how long he can hold them in check."

" Mankind is destined to rebel constantly. It is only human nature."

Charles smirked, " Never let a Goblin hear you say that, but you are right. Rebellion is to mankind as life itself. A new civilization cannot be built without the destruction of the old. Creating a new world from the ashes of the old if you would."

" That's my mantra. Don't steal it."

Charles laughed, " What do you mean? People have been saying that for a long time. Anyway, I digress. Potter's doing very well. The world will burn by the fire in his fist. It is exactly as planned, I might say. I never thought the kid would take my lessons to heart so well."

" Yeah, well, the last guy to do so got killed. Hope the next rebellion goes better than the last. Need to tune out, someone's coming. Oh fuck, they found me. Bye."

Charles barked a laugh as his old friend fled from wherever he was.

( Ron and Hermione)

" Hey, Hermione! Look, there's blood on the ground over here by these graves. Wonder what happened?"

Hermione sighed at Ron, " I don't know, nor do I really care. We need to find the sword so we can destroy this damn locket."

Ron ignored her, and followed the trail. He came to a stop at a series of graves. He said, " Hey! Hermione! It's Harry's parents' graves!"

Sure enough, one grave with James Charlus Potter, and another with Lily Rose Potter, were sitting next to each other. Hermione stood for a moment, " We shall remember these people Ron. They died for the Greater Good. Even if their son is unwilling to take his part in the Prophecy, they did theirs. 'The Son should follow in the footsteps of the Father, who sacrificed everything.'"

Ron raised an eyebrow at that statement, " Seriously, Hermione? Do we really have to keep going over and over this? Harry's got the right to chose his own destiny. Just because nobody else seems to believe that doesn't mean he doesn't have that very basic right. I mean, a man has three base rights. Life, Liberty, and Property right? Harry has none of them! Or had none of them. I don't think you can call living in the hell hole that was Privet Drive, Life. I don't think you can count living in a cupboard under the stairs for ten years Liberty. And I don't think having to live off of what you could steal when they weren't at home counts as Property either."

Hermione sneered, " Hah, I never thought I would hear you use the old Rights argument Ron. Either way, we still have a duty to perform. It is what we have to do for Dumbledore."

" Sometimes I think he didn't really die up there on that tower. Otherwise, why would you be so eager to follow his orders?"

Hermione flinched, " Don't be a fool Ron. Of course Dumbledore's dead. No one's ever survived…."

" Except Harry, and we all know why he did."

( Harry….Goblin War Room)

" Champion Potter, nice to see you again."

Harry shook Lazarus' hand, " Nice to see you again too, Commander Lazarus. So, any idea why I've been recalled when I was supposed to be on a rather forced leave?"

" None whatsoever. I expect the Cold Prince shall have a good reason for us."

On cue, Charles Zoroark walked into the room, followed by the five Goblin Kings, Varrac Tethras, and a Goblin Priest. Harry saw the Priest and muttered, " Not good. They must be almost ready."

Charles spoke up, " Milords and Warriors, we are almost ready to begin our march on the Topside. We have but one thing to do."

Harry James Potter was Goblin Champion, having spent the equivalent of 5-10 years amongst them. But there were things about them that even he didn't know. Things that only a select few were privy to. He was about to have light shed upon one such secret.

The Priest spoke, " We have selected the Young Kings and Queens. The Summoning is prepared."

Charles explained, " There is a special Eluvian deep beneath the Cities of Thule and Khazad. Before every Goblin Rebellion, there is a special ceremony performed there. It involves the ritual sacrifice of five Claimed Warriors. It is to send our call to the Great Warrior. The Goblins call it the ' Lay of the Great Leader.' He has never once answered their calls. I shall leave the actual story to the Priest."

The Priest nodded, and began to relay the story to them….

" There was once a Human who defied his peers and saved the Goblin and Dwarf races from extinction. He was the one who taught us both the sword and pen. His real name has eluded Goblins for centuries, only that what we called him, Khaine, meant Destroyer. We have never known why he insisted on us calling him Destruction, only that is how the texts say.

" They say that he is the one who has instilled within us the will and desire to rebel whenever the humans oppressed us. They say that he is the one who gave us the knowledge of the blade needed to win these wars. But, they also say that we can never win unless he returns to us. It is an omen, it is said, when a Calling fails to bring him forth."

Harry scowled, " So why keep trying? Surely it's a huge morale thing if it doesn't work. So why bother?"

Charles frowned, " Goblins place just as much stock in tradition as Purebloods do, ironically."

Harry added, " So I'm guessing there is a problem."

The Priest nodded, " Spot on, Champion. One of the Young Queens disappeared with a large retinue of Claimed Warriors. I think you happen to know her."

Harry began to feel a little pissed, " It wouldn't happen to be Micaiah would it?"

He knew the answer was yes before the Prince even nodded. _Great, so the Dawn Priestess is out there running around. She isn't that bad looking. Death Eaters would love the hell out of finding her if they did. _

" Why not just choose another?"

The Priest cringed like Harry had just told him the sky was falling, " That's taboo! There's only one way to get out of being one of the Young Monarchs! What do goblins prize more than destruction?"

" Procreation,", Harry answered with a groan. The Priest nodded, " No one short of the Champion or the Prince would get her out of the Ritual!"

Charles smirked, " So, Champion Potter, your next assignment is! Find the Dawn Priestess and bring her back here!"

_Wow, they send me after the one Claimed Warrior who actually doesn't like me. Typical isn't it? Story of my life. And there's still Voldemort to deal with. Fucking Goblins…._

The meeting was adjourned. Lazarus called to Harry, " Champion! A moment of your time please?"

Harry sighed angrily, and turned back. Lazarus started off slowly, " I know you and Micaiah don't get along so well, but I want you to see what you can do about getting her out of this."

" Are you fucking serious? You know the only way to get out of this ritual is…"

Lazarus nodded his head, " Yeah I know, like you would have a problem with that anyway, Player of the Roads. Plougher of the Trenches. Geralt of Rivia Part 2. Bruce Gigolo Reincarnated. The Sirius Book of Love."

" Alright I get the point. But, I've calmed down a little on the Topside. Hell, I've got a real girlfriend now. She understands my political reasons, but a personal favor? Don't think Daphne'll let that fly as easily as the others. Especially the whole pregnant part. I mean, I would like my firstborn to be a little more important than some scapegoat for a girl, while pretty enough, I just don't even like that much. I'll have to think about it. If I run across her, I'll hold on to her as long as I can. Just remember that."

Lazarus nodded understandingly, " I understand, Champion Potter. It's all I can really ask of you at this point."

Harry chuckled as his old friend Nikolai approached him. The Russian drinker shouted, " Hail Champion Harry! How about a sip of my vodka?"

" If you've got more than a sip, alright let's go!"

Harry spent that night drunk and living up to his various nicknames that ranged from the Sirius Book of Love to the Pimp of Khazad.

( Daphne and Damien)

" Father, when did Harry say he would be home?"

Damien shrugged, " Goblin business. It might be days before he gets back. Heck, that might even be the earliest he gets back. You know how slow those bastards can be."

Daphne continued to brush her gold hair, " Hmm, you're right, Father. Either way, I feel like something important is going to happen tonight. Don't really know why. I just….do."

Isilde commented, " Harry would completely understand where you are coming from. He always had those feelings right before an attack. Saved me and Nikolai more than a few times it did."

" Who's Nikolai anyway?,", Daphne asked, wondering who was this companion that Isilde referenced often when speaking of her times in the Dark Roads.

Isilde chuckled innocently before answering, " Don't worry about it, he's probably dead by now. Drunken bastard."

" I think we have a visitor, " Damien suddenly said from the couch he was laying on. Sure enough, the wards pinged as someone came within their range. Damien leapt up from the couch, and grabbed his wand in one hand and a throwing dagger in another. He walked up to the spy hole in the door. A woman with silvery white hair was fighting against what looked like a swarm of about twenty Death Eaters. Damien shouted back, " Isilde! You know a young girl with silver hair?"

" The Dawn Priestess from the Dark Roads I think. Don't know why she'd be up topside though. Her name's Micaiah. I trust the Champion has told you of his rather promiscuous habits in the Dark Roads?"

" He did. In great detail he did. With practical lessons ,", Daphne answered with an embarrassed blush. Damien simply shook his head in disdain as he watched the fight enfold outside, pretending that he hadn't heard his daughter just admit to having sex with the Goblin Champion. He didn't mind, really, because he knew his daughter had always liked Harry. But that didn't stop his 'Father-Senses' from tingling whenever someone even made eyes, or worse, at her.

Watching as the silver haired girl blasted a Death Eater apart with a sphere of light, Isilde commented, " You know, I wonder why she ran from the Dark Roads? I bet it has something to do with that Summoning thing the Goblins always do before a ritual. If it is, then this is going to be _amazing._ This will be bigger than that time the Goblins pulled those idiots out of the Eluvians."

" Who are 'Those Idiots?'"

" Uh, put it on that Japanese Channel the Champion put on the TV. You know, the one with the English subtitles?,", Isilde asked.

" Yeah?"

" Watch it all day. Try to figure out who it I'm talking about by the following clues. Blonde ditz, part of a set of nine, enough stupidity to kill cats . And all nine came through the Eluvian. Fucking nightmare that was. Goblins raised holy hell at the Cold Prince."

Daphne muttered, " Oh…"

Damien continued to watch the silver haired woman blast away at the Death Eaters, surprised she hadn't been killed yet. She'd already thinned the pack down to about five. _Good on her feet, that one is. Wonder if she's been in that situation before? Because only experience tends to teach one how to live through ambushes like that._

He smirked as she took down the last one. She panted heavily, before turning towards the house. Wait….the HOUSE? Damien panicked, wondering what exactly to do. _The Champion said this house was under the Fidelius! And he's the Secret Keeper isn't he? No way she can see through it? Can she?_

A soft voice fluttered through the door, " I know there's something here. I can feel it. Too much magic for there not to be. Is this Potter's Fortress? If it is, doesn't seem like much of a fortress."

Damien flung the door open, and Stunned the girl before she could blab any more. It was bad enough that some of those Death Eaters might not be dead. " Daphne! Isilde! Get the girl inside! I'll do a body check."

So Damien walked over, and began counting the Death Eater bodies, shooting an Avada Kedavra in them just to be sure. Finally, he counted out twenty of twenty, and incinerated the bodies. He turned back, and entered the house with scowl.

" How in the world did she know where the house is?" Isilde asked, worried that the Secret might be out. Damien simply shook his head, unable to figure that out himself, though he did slip, " She said she could 'Sense' the magic of the house, so she knew that there was something here. Don't ask me how, that's something that not even the Champion can do. He's already explained that even though his Aura Sight can see humans, it cannot see inanimate objects. This gift must be completely different."

" And unique,", Daphne added with a scowl, " None of the books in the Black Library have said anything about Magic Sight. They talk about other things, like Life Sight, but not Magic Sight, and certainly not Magic sensing."

All three made a note to confront the Champion about this as soon as he reappeared. Unfortunately for them, he was about to get some really bad news from his man in Hogsmeade.

( Harry)

" Damn, what the hell happened last night?" Harry muttered as he woke up groggily, noticing that he wasn't wearing any clothes at all. He also noticed that he was almost buried beneath women of all kinds and ages, and a few men too, which he immediately made note to try and cover up. Couldn't be having his image getting damaged now could he?

Harry walked over to the cabinet and pulled open the door. Unsurprisingly, there was EVEN MORE vodka within. Harry swore that he had enough of that particular liquor to last him a fucking lifetime or two last night. Surprised he wasn't dead from alcohol poisoning he was. Time to find a sobering potion. It was too much to hope for a Goblin to have pity on him and give it to him. The Dwarves would just sit there and laugh at him, so even less hope there.

Harry pressed a heavy hand to his head as he found his shirt, which was abandoned somewhere in the Feasting Hall, a good ten rooms and a staircase from where he had woken up. His pants were even further away, so he figured he had just spent most of the previous night without any pants on at all. Boy, he just couldn't wait to hear what Silver and Gold had to say.

Speaking of Silver and Gold….here they came. Gold laughed loudly, " Hey everyone! It's the Champion! How's the ale there, Champion?"

" Please, shut the fuck up. Not in the mood this morning."

"Its five in the afternoon,", Silver unhelpfully informed him as the two Goblins shared another laugh. Harry just scowled, and found the Medicine Cabinet. He pulled a Sobering Potion out, and swallowed the foul potion. Hell, that damn potion was so bad, that it almost made having a Hangover worth it. He guessed the potion was invented by one of those Progressives from Pre-Prohibition America. You know, the ones that pushed the 18th Amendment through because they were pissed at their husbands getting drunk?

Silver finally said something worthwhile, " Remember that Claimed Warrior you sent out to Hogsmeade? He sent you an urgent message. You might want to take a look at it."

" I'll keep that in mind when I find my armor,", Harry replied testily.

" We stashed it upstairs to keep someone from taking it. I'll get it and the letter,", Gold said as he hurried off.

Harry sat down on one of the few empty seats. Shortly thereafter, Gold came back with his armor, weapons, shield, and the letter. Harry took a little bit to get his armor on. After all, massive Volcanic Ore plate armor is notoriously difficult to put on, and not even Harry could do it entirely without a squire to aid him. He slung his belt around his waist, and buckled it, Starfang falling to his left side like normal. He strapped the naginata he sometimes used to his back, and then the Shield of Dumat to his arm.

After about ten minutes of refitting himself, Harry sat back down at the table to read the letter. He poured himself some Pepsi ( oddly, even Goblins were fond of the soft drink) and read it. He promptly spilt his goblet. Silver asked with a cocked eyebrow, " What's wrong?"

" R-R-Read!" Harry replied with a stutter. The note threw Silver off entirely, " That's impossible!"

"**Champion Potter, this is Legault. I write with urgent news only because I cannot leave the Pub myself to visit. I've done as you asked, and I have been keeping an eye out for Death Eater scum. There is a general activity that suggests they may be planning to exert total control over the school shortly. However, that is not what worries me. **

** One night, I was outside. I was feeding Aberforth's goats when I saw them. Darkspawn! I couldn't believe it! There had never been any records of Darkspawn getting to the surface! Not even the DA records we use as references! Could…Could this be what the Wardens in the Records call a Blight? Could the Spawn have come to Topside? **

** If they have, then this is bad. I don't know what might be leading them, but the Records suggest something called an Archdemon is the only thing that can truly lead them. What kind of evil could this Archdemon be? A construct of magic? I cannot bear to guess! Champion Potter, we will need aid quickly! I've seen growing numbers near Hogsmeade in the three days of surveillance I've conducted. **

** Signed, Legault ' The Silver Fox'"**

Silver was pale, an odd thing to see on a Goblin. He muttered, " I must tell the Cold Prince about this immediately."

Harry nodded. This really threw a wrench into everyone's plans. Ten minutes later, the Cold Prince marched into the Feasting Hall, with fifty Goblin Warriors, and a few dwarves, behind him. Charles shouted, " My friends, ill news has befallen us! Somehow, the Darkspawn have made it topside. We can only assume they are moving with hostility. We must continue to gather our warriors, and then march upon Hogwarts!"

The Goblins cheered at the opportunity to claim the bastion of Wizards that had always stood against them. Harry stood up himself, " We must get our forces and deploy as quickly as possible! Cold Prince! How fast?"

" I estimate we will have a War Host in about a week. But I fear that may be too long."

Harry shouted, " Especially if we have a real Blight on our hands! I mean, have we ever had one of those?"

" Not in the entire history of Goblin kind. The Records say that this has happened in Mankind's history though."

" Yeah, but we don't even know where those Record come from! And if that's true, then how would we defeat an Archdemon?" Harry asked. No doubt this was a valid question.

" That….might be a problem. The Records say something about Grey Wardens, but doesn't really explain who or what they are. Only that they are the only ones who can defeat an Archdemon. Then again, we don't know if there is an Archdemon, or if the Darkspawn just happened to find their way Topside. I mean, you would get there eventually wouldn't you?"

The Cold Prince scowled at Gold, " Now isn't the time to be joking around. If this is true, then we will need to strike at the heart of the enemy."

Gold shouted, " Are you out of your fucking mind? There's no way we can send a force into the Dark Roads right now! Plus, we don't even know where the Magic Nexus is!"

" I beg to differ,", a scholarly Claimed walked up, " We've recently tracked down a stray Lay Line of magic that leads deep within the earth. We've tracked it here.", He pointed at a small area just south of Inverness.

" That's not far from Hogwarts," Harry observed while wrinkling his nose in disgust, " Which brings us back to Darkspawn being on the surface near Hogwarts. So, should we deploy?"

" I would prefer to leave that decision to you, Champion, " The Cold Prince muttered, shocking everyone in the room. Harry may have been the Champion, but everyone always knew who was really in command. It was surprising for the Cold Prince to relinquish command to Harry. When asked, he replied, " This is your world, Harry. Do with it as you see fit."

Harry nodded in understanding. He turned back to the Goblins, " Prepare our warhost. We march tonight. We march to Hogwarts! And we shall take it, and make it our Stronghold against the Dark Spawn!"

" But Sir! What about the ritual?"

Harry scowled, " We don't need a glorified good luck charm to win this, my soldiers. We need only our skill, our weapons, and our men. Bring me the Legion of the Damned. We shall march with a force as great as possible without leaving ourselves defenseless."

A/N: So we begin to move towards the End here. The Dragon Age will be coming out here shortly, and some loose ends will be tied up. Remember that little blurb about Warhammer in the first chapter? Yeah, that's coming back.

The Ritual: This summons the Goblin Equivalent of the Avatar of Khaine, only that it doesn't work most of the time.


End file.
